Teen may face more severe charges as victim, 15, dies
Prosecutors are considering upping the charges against an 18-year-old Tewksbury man after the 15-year-old boy he is accused of slamming into a concrete floor at an underage drinking party in Lowell died yesterday, authorities said.
“The nature of the charges may be upgraded as the investigation continues and pending the results of the autopsy,” Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan said in a statement.
Joseph Zagarella, 18, was arraigned yesterday in Lowell District Court on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, a concrete floor. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail for allegedly critically injuring the 15-year-old Tewksbury boy during an underage drinking party in Lowell Friday. The boy’s name has not been released.
Prosecutors said at the party, the teen stumbled into Zagarella, who “responded by picking up the victim and slamming him head first into the concrete floor.”
The teen sustained a traumatic brain injury and was pronounced dead yesterday at Tufts Medical Center, authorities said.
Prosecutors said after slamming the teen headfirst, Zagarella “bragged about the assault as he left the party.” He also lied to police before he was arrested, prosecutors said.
Judge Thomas Brennan imposed restrictions on Zagarella if he posts bail, including GPS monitoring and 24-hour house arrest. He was also ordered not to consume alcohol or drugs.
Zagarella’s lawyer, Keren Goldenberg, said there are conflicting accounts about what happened, including that the boy may have fallen and hit his head.