Man runs down, kills Lawrence girl, police say

By Jill Harmacinski
jharmacinski@eagletribune.com

April 20, 2009 12:24 am

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LAWRENCE — A 16-year-old girl was killed early yesterday when she was run down on Dorchester Street by a car driven by her mother's angry boyfriend, police said.

Edilize Cruet of 15 Dorchester St. was pronounced dead at Lawrence General Hospital after she was struck by a 1998 black Acura coupe driven by Gilberto Vega, 26, police said.

Witnesses told police that Vega aimed the Acura at his girlfriend, Betsaida Lorriano, her son and Cruet, who were standing outside.

The mother and son escaped, but Cruet was struck and suffered a head injury, police said.

"It appears she was hit head on," police Chief John Romero said.

Vega fled but was later arrested and charged with manslaughter, negligent homicide by motor vehicle, drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death, police said.

Cruet, a student at Lawrence High School, is one of four children. A boy who said he was her younger brother sat on the steps at 15 Dorchester St., a duplex, crying last night. Adults in the home declined comment.

The Lawrence man's brother-in-law, Xavier Delgado of Haverhill, said Vega has no recollection of the accident and is deeply remorseful. Police also said Vega repeatedly apologized when arrested.

"He's sitting in a cell crying his eyes out," said Delgado, 31, who described himself as a longtime friend. "Our hearts go out to this family. ... This is a black cloud hanging over all our hearts."

Police found Cruet lying in the street and bleeding at 2:25 a.m. yesterday after responding to a disturbance call at the home.

A "large hostile crowd" was gathered there, with family members trying to give Cruet first aid, according to police reports.

"People were yelling and screaming. There was total chaos," Sgt. Robert Michaud wrote in his report.

Officers were immediately told Cruet "was run over by a car," police said. Cruet's brother also told police that Vega knew "his sister was in front of the car but he ran over her anyway," according to a report written by Lt. Steven Scheffen.

Cruet was placed on a gurney and when ambulance personnel tried to work on her "people had rushed to the back of the ambulance and jumped in interfering with the EMTs," Michaud wrote. An officer had to remove people from the back of the ambulance. Even after they were moved "people continued to try and rush the back of the ambulance."

Minutes later, Vega repeatedly apologized to police when he was found parked on nearby Garfield Street. Witnesses told police he was parked down the street.

"He kept on saying he was sorry," Michaud wrote.

As officers tried to take Vega into custody, the crowd started moving their way.

"I saw people approaching our area and ordered them to stay back," Michaud said. "It was decided that it would be safer for everyone to get the suspect out of the area."

Police believe Vega and Lorriano had a lengthy argument Saturday night that spilled into yesterday morning. "At some point, he was asked to leave," Romero said.

But after leaving, Vega returned to the neighborhood at least twice, driving erratically down the street, with Lorriano and her children trying to get him to stop, police said.

"He drove right at them," Romero said.

Delgado said Vega's Acura was towed earlier in the night, after he left a Haverhill nightclub with Lorriano and appeared both intoxicated and argumentative. Vega somehow managed to get the car back from the towing company and drove to Dorchester Street early Sunday, Delgado said.

"It was just a recipe for disaster," Delgado said.

He described Vega as a hard worker who "is not a troublemaker."

Vega was taken into custody and the black Acura coupe was towed and impounded yesterday morning. Local and state police detectives, along with state police crime scene services and accident reconstruction experts, are investigating. Police applied for a warrant to search the vehicle, which had blood on the passenger's side headlight.

Vega, a native of Bronx, N.Y., is being held without bail pending his arraignment in Lawrence District Court tomorrow. His current address is 51 West St., No. 2, Lawrence, police said.