COPS NAB SUSPECT IN METHUEN HIT-AND-RUN
One call among a “flurry” of tips related to the tragic hit-and-run killing of an 11-year-old girl Thursday night in Methuen led to the arrest yesterday of a 22-year-old Lawrence man who is now facing a vehicular homicide charge, police said.
“This investigation was able to be closed in 48 hours due to this person’s tip to us,” Methuen police Capt. Randy Haggar said last night, adding that the avalanche of information from the public had officers chasing leads as far away as New Hampshire.
The critical tip led officers to the Lawrence home of Steven Toro, where Haggar said he was arrested yesterday evening without incident.
Toro is in custody on $100,000 bond and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Lawrence District Court on charges of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
“The community is a very big place and also a very small place,” Haggar said. “When people conduct crimes, people see what goes on. Someone recognized the vehicle. Someone recognized him, and they contacted us.”
The girl’s stepfather, Efrain Candelario, told the Herald he was crossing Broadway near Kirk Street with his stepdaughter, Jadee Soto, about 9:45 p.m. when a speeding vehicle hit the little girl before he could pull her out of the street. Jadee was rushed by ambulance to Lawrence General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
During his arrest, Haggar said officers found Toro’s damaged vehicle at his home — its left headlight broken and its windshield shattered.
Haggar said more than a dozen Methuen cops worked around the clock in an effort to identify Toro and the images and videos of the suspect vehicle posted to social media prompted a “flurry of tips” from community members.
“We were all touched very deeply by the death of this individual, this sweet little girl,” Haggar said, “and we wanted to give closure to the family.”