Body camera video of Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara's June 30 crash is revealing new details about the incident, which led to her 7-year-old son being hurt and also to charges against the District Six city councilor.
The video shows when police and EMTs arrived on scene in Jamaica Plain, tending to City Councilor Lara, her son and the driver of the car that was pulling out of a parking spot on Centre Street when Lara’s car approached, swerved and struck a home there.
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Boston Police say Lara was going more than double the speed limit, on a revoked license, in an unregistered, uninsured car, in which her son was not properly restrained.
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Lara was arraigned Wednesday on charges related to the crash. She pleaded not guilty.
“I didn’t spin, it was right there I just swerved and went straight into nothing," Lara is heard saying in the body camera footage. "The car didn’t do anything, I just swerved out of the way and went straight into that front – that front – I just couldn’t hit the brakes fast enough before I hit the —"
She told police another vehicle "pulled out right in front of me, he did not check his freaking mirrors to see if anybody was coming down the street, and he pulled out in front of me, I'm driving down the street, I swerved to swerve out of the way and not hit him."
The driver of that other vehicle said Lara was speeding, and that he had barely left his parking space.
"I was beginning to pull out. I wasn't out very far. And this car came at very high speed and swerved and went into there," the man told police. "I was barely out at all."
"It's just bizarre," he said at another point. "I was just beginning to pull out, and she came by like a bat out of hell and just swerved."
Beginning next week, workers including city councilors must provide proof of valid license, registration and insurance to park in city hall's garages.
