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Advertisement Driver accused in crash not familiar with 'loaner car,' attorney says Witnesses help lift car off injured pedestrians while driver tries to flee, PD says Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A Needham woman was charged Friday in connection with a crash in Boston's Downtown Crossing that injured three pedestrians.Watch the reportShantiqua Steele, 25, wiped tears from her eyes during a hearing in Boston Municipal Court.Steele ran a red light at the intersection of Washington and School streets Thursday and struck the victims, partially trapping them under the vehicle.As witnesses lifted the Mercedes Benz off the victims, Steele allegedly fled and was later found in a nearby building.Court documents identified the victims as Maria Blanca Elena Garcia, 63, of Spain; Jennifer Hay, 45, of Milford; and Hay's 9-year-old son, Tristan.Assistant District Attorney Caroline Humphrey described Hay's injuries to the judge."She was run over by the car. She has an imprint of the wheel on her body," Humphrey said."(Tristan) was also run over by the car. He has a contusion to the lung and a laceration on the liver, bruises and scratches," Humphrey said.Garcia was described as having a broken back and broken hip.Steele was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, using a motor vehicle without authority and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injury.Humphrey said Steele is also facing an outstanding charge from a 2009 assault and battery case in Lynn.Steele's attorney said the Mercedes sedan Steele was driving was a "loaner car" that Steele's husband had received while his car was being repaired.He said she was not familiar with the car's operation."It may even be mechanical to the car. The car accelerated, and it was something that she was trying to avoid and stop," defense attorney Michael Roitman said."I think this was truly an accident. I think it's terribly tragic that people were injured, but they were injured through no intent of Ms. Steele," he added.He said Steele did not intend to flee the scene and entered a nearby building because she knew her husband was there.Steele was held on $5,000 bail and is due back in court next month. Get the WCVB News App