An Andover, Massachusetts, man faced a judge today, pleading not guilty in the deadly hit-and-run of a 62-year-old Army veteran.
Martin Quinlan pleaded not guilty in the crash that killed 62-year-old Methuen resident Pamela O’Neil on Sunday. The 29-year-old is accused of slamming into the former paratrooper with a motorcycle on his birthday, before taking off. Surveillance video shows a motorcycle speeding down Lowell Street, hitting O’Neill around 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
During the arraignment, prosecutors said Quinlan initially told police his motorcycle was stolen when they tracked him down.
“However after he began speaking with the police and learning about the evidence, he does admit he was operating the motorcycle at the time of the accident. He said to the officers ‘no, I didn’t see her, it happened so fast,’ he wasn’t sure what happened,” prosecutors said in court Tuesday.
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An attorney for Quinlan said his client fully cooperated with police during the investigation.
“His mother and father are sick as to what is happening with their son right now, it’s beyond warrant. I’ve spoken to Mr. Quinlan, he himself is very upset about the incident," Defense attorney Joanne McLaughlin said.
O'Neill's family spoke Monday night when police arrested Quinlan, a day after O'Neill was killed walking to a convenience story.
“Anybody that did what he did and let someone lie there like they’re nothing, deserves everything they're going to get," Dan O'Neil, Pamela O'Neil's husband, told NBC10 Boston.
Quinlan is being held on a $200,000 bail.
