Three people were struck by an SUV early Sunday morning at The Muse nightclub, and two of the victims remain in critical condition at Boston area hopsitals.
The man who allegedly drove the vehicle, Roberto J. Tejada, 21, of 52 Cato Lane, fled the scene of the crime, but surrendered to police more than 12 hours later after they had identified him as the prime suspect.
Police said this week that the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when a passenger in Tejada's vehicle was allegedly punched by Magno Sosa as the bar was closing down for the evening. According to Assistant District Attorney Christopher Shea, Tejada then attempted to hit Sosa with his 1997 Toyota 4Runner, but missed, and careened through the parking lot at a high rate of speed, completely running over two people and pinning a third person against another car.
"He plowed into and ran over three pedestrians," Shea said.
Shea added that Tejada was identified as the driver of the vehicle by multiple witnesses, including an ex-girlfriend.
The three victims were innocent bystanders who were not involved in the original altercation, police said, and were all transported by MedFlight to Boston area hospitals with serious injuries. One of the victims, a female in her 20s, suffered a severe head injury and other lacerations, Shea said. A 43-year-old male was left with broken ribs, severe lacerations and tire tracks across his body, while the third victim, a 47-year-old man, suffered internal injuries, including a ruptured kidney. Shea said that two of the victims remain in critical condition, while the third victim had been treated and released.
"There's a 60/40 chance of survival for one of the victims," Shea said.
At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Tejada turned himself in at the police station on South Water Street.
"He knew we were looking for him," Detective Lieutenant Jerry Adams said.
On Tuesday, Tejada was arraigned in Nantucket District Court, and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (three counts), leaving the scene of personal injury (three counts), assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of property damage.
Shea requested that Tejada be held on $50,000 bail, but Judge W. James O'Neill set bail at $25,000, and Tejada was transported to the Barnstable House of Correction. A pretrial hearing was set for Dec. 4.
Tejada's attorney, Edward Harrington, of Boston, said his client was a "documented alien" from El Salvador who has spent the last six years on Nantucket employed as a landscaper and a painter. Tejada's wife, a U.S. citizen who has one child with him, was in the courtroom Tuesday and cried as Shea described the injuries of the victims. Harrington said Tejada also had three uncles and two cousins on Nantucket, and argued that Shea's request for a $50,000 bail was excessive.
"He has strong ties to the island," Harrington said. "If he was going to leave the island, I suggest he would have already left."
Shea said Tuesday that the District Attorney's office will likely seek to have Tejada indicted by a grand jury in order to move the case to Superior Court.
A search of District Court records revealed that Tejada has a criminal record on Nantucket, including a November 2004 arrest for negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of personal injury. According to a police report of that incident, Tejada was invovled in a collision at the intersection of Surfside Road and South Shore Road, but fled the scene even though his bumper was hanging off the vehicle. He was later found by officers at a Tripp Drive residence and was arrested.
In September 2005, Tejada was arrested for assault and battery after a fight at Cap'n Tobey's on Straight Wharf, and was most recently charged with assault and battery on a police officer following another incident at The Muse in April 2006. According to a police report of the event, Tejada allegedly broke a bottle over another man's head during an altercation at the bar, and later took a swing at a police officer while he was being placed in a holding cell. A trial in that case is scheduled for December.
The owner of The Muse, Michael O'Reilly, did not return a phone call seeking comment on the most recent incident involving Tejada at the nightclub.
The man who allegedly drove the vehicle, Roberto J. Tejada, 21, of 52 Cato Lane, fled the scene of the crime, but surrendered to police more than 12 hours later after they had identified him as the prime suspect.
Police said this week that the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when a passenger in Tejada's vehicle was allegedly punched by Magno Sosa as the bar was closing down for the evening. According to Assistant District Attorney Christopher Shea, Tejada then attempted to hit Sosa with his 1997 Toyota 4Runner, but missed, and careened through the parking lot at a high rate of speed, completely running over two people and pinning a third person against another car.
"He plowed into and ran over three pedestrians," Shea said.
Shea added that Tejada was identified as the driver of the vehicle by multiple witnesses, including an ex-girlfriend.
The three victims were innocent bystanders who were not involved in the original altercation, police said, and were all transported by MedFlight to Boston area hospitals with serious injuries. One of the victims, a female in her 20s, suffered a severe head injury and other lacerations, Shea said. A 43-year-old male was left with broken ribs, severe lacerations and tire tracks across his body, while the third victim, a 47-year-old man, suffered internal injuries, including a ruptured kidney. Shea said that two of the victims remain in critical condition, while the third victim had been treated and released.
"There's a 60/40 chance of survival for one of the victims," Shea said.
At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Tejada turned himself in at the police station on South Water Street.
"He knew we were looking for him," Detective Lieutenant Jerry Adams said.
On Tuesday, Tejada was arraigned in Nantucket District Court, and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (three counts), leaving the scene of personal injury (three counts), assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of property damage.
Shea requested that Tejada be held on $50,000 bail, but Judge W. James O'Neill set bail at $25,000, and Tejada was transported to the Barnstable House of Correction. A pretrial hearing was set for Dec. 4.
Tejada's attorney, Edward Harrington, of Boston, said his client was a "documented alien" from El Salvador who has spent the last six years on Nantucket employed as a landscaper and a painter. Tejada's wife, a U.S. citizen who has one child with him, was in the courtroom Tuesday and cried as Shea described the injuries of the victims. Harrington said Tejada also had three uncles and two cousins on Nantucket, and argued that Shea's request for a $50,000 bail was excessive.
"He has strong ties to the island," Harrington said. "If he was going to leave the island, I suggest he would have already left."
Shea said Tuesday that the District Attorney's office will likely seek to have Tejada indicted by a grand jury in order to move the case to Superior Court.
A search of District Court records revealed that Tejada has a criminal record on Nantucket, including a November 2004 arrest for negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of personal injury. According to a police report of that incident, Tejada was invovled in a collision at the intersection of Surfside Road and South Shore Road, but fled the scene even though his bumper was hanging off the vehicle. He was later found by officers at a Tripp Drive residence and was arrested.
In September 2005, Tejada was arrested for assault and battery after a fight at Cap'n Tobey's on Straight Wharf, and was most recently charged with assault and battery on a police officer following another incident at The Muse in April 2006. According to a police report of the event, Tejada allegedly broke a bottle over another man's head during an altercation at the bar, and later took a swing at a police officer while he was being placed in a holding cell. A trial in that case is scheduled for December.
The owner of The Muse, Michael O'Reilly, did not return a phone call seeking comment on the most recent incident involving Tejada at the nightclub.