The man suspected of hitting and killing a four-year-old boy in the Hyde Park section of Boston last month was held on a $15,000 bail following his arraignment Tuesday.
Police said that 30-year-old Olguens Joseph turned himself in on Monday. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment.
It was surveillance video that may have helped break the case open. A neighbor sent photos of the Gray Chevrolet Spark that police believed was involved, showing it outside a home in Mattapan. Court documents allege that Joseph's 4-year-old son was in the passenger seat of the Chevy.
Court documents said that when police went to interview Joseph at his home, he denied being involved in the crash, but three days after the incident, he returned the car to the man he recently bought it from — saying it was too small for his family.
Investigators tracked down the car to an auto repair shop, and the damage to the vehicle, combined with the surveillance videos placing the car near the crash site, led to a warrant for Joseph's arrest Monday afternoon.
Ivan Pierre's mother was too distraught to attend court on Tuesday, though other family did show up. Pierre's uncle spoke with NBC10 Boston in the family's neighborhood, where the speed limit is posted as 25 mph.
“Be thankful it wasn’t your kid, because it can happen anyone, you know, you’re only in control of so much, and at the end of the day I don’t know whether or not it was reckless driving or driving not paying attention or driving speeding," Pierre's uncle Heroldy Limage said.
"That has happened as a result of tremendous community collaboration," Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said. "We asked for the community's help in this matter, and we got the community's help in this matter."
Hayden added Tuesday that multiple people came forward with information that helped them identify Joseph.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also commented on the case.
"I am very grateful for all the efforts and am very glad that there is this moment of accountability now," Mayor Wu said. "We continue to grieve young Ivan along his whole family."
Joseph is now facing the following charges in the case — motor vehicle homicide, leaving the scene of personal injury and death as well as driving with an unregistered and uninsured vehicle.
Joseph is next due in court on Aug. 30.
