Boston councilor apologizes after crashing car
Asks district for understanding, to have court date
Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara, whose young son was injured on June 30 after she crashed a car into a Jamaica Plain home, apologized to constituents in a statement Saturday morning.
Lara struck the Centre Street house shortly before 4:30 p.m. leaving her 7-year-old son with cuts that required several stitches at Boston Children’s Hospital, according to her office.
Lara’s driver’s license was revoked at the time of the crash, according to her state driver’s record.
“We are all accountable for our actions, and I am no different, which is why I offer my sincerest apologies to everyone, especially the people of District 6,” Lara wrote Saturday. “As an elected official, I’ve worked hard to center the dignity and humanity of my constituents. Today, I ask you to also see mine as I work to correct my mistake.”
Boston police released a report on the crash with names redacted. The car, a 2019 Honda Civic, was unregistered, uninsured, and had an expired registration sticker, according to the report.
The driver told police she and her son were wearing their seat belts when she swerved to avoid another car that had pulled out in front of her. Police said the other driver denied that.
The driver was expected to appear in Boston Municipal Court’s West Roxbury Division on charges of operating a motor vehicle after suspension, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle, according to police.
Boston police also contacted the Department of Children and Families because the driver’s son was riding in the Honda’s back seat without a booster seat, which is required for children under age 8 or who are under 57 inches tall, the report said.
The vehicle’s owner was also expected to appear in the West Roxbury court on the charges of allowing unlicensed operation and allowing operation of an unregistered motor vehicle, according to the police report.
Lara’s 170-word apology did not provide new details of what led to the crash and did not address the charges.
No dates for the court appearances have been released.
Georgia Kalogerakis, the home’s owner, told the Globe at the time that she arrived home after the crash and saw a wrecked car in her front yard.
“When I saw the car, I was very concerned about who was in it and what had happened,” she said.
The car crash came amid growing division among Boston city councilors. Ed Flynn, the council’s president, criticized Lara and Ricardo Arroyo in a statement Wednesday for drawing “negative attention” to the body with their conduct.
Flynn cited Lara’s car crash, and a $3,000 state ethics fine levied against Arroyo late last month because he represented his brother in a city sexual harassment case while serving as a city councilor.
Boston residents “want elected officials who show maturity, take responsibility as adults, and demonstrate the ability to follow the same basic rules and norms as the people they serve when placing us in positions of public trust,” Flynn said.
Lara’s statement did not reference Flynn. She thanked her family, friends, and neighbors for their support, and indicated she would continue representing her constituents.
“As your City Councilor, I will continue to steward our collective vision at City Hall and work hard to earn and maintain your trust. The grace you’ve shown me is a testament to the strength of our beloved community, and I intend to continue earning it,” she said.
John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com. Correspondent Nick Stoico and Danny McDonald of the Globe staff contributed to this report.