ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) – State police say road rage apparently led to a crash on Route 495 that killed a 21-year-old Haverhill man.
Police said Myrta Diaz, 26, of Lawrence was arrested Friday after an accident that killed Derek Cataldo. Diaz faces charges including leaving the scene of a personal injury accident resulting in death. She was being held Saturday at the state police barracks in Andover on $15,000 cash bail.
Diaz was scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning in Lawrence District Court. Police said the confrontation began when Cataldo’s SUV and Diaz’s car had a minor collision on Route 93 north in Wilmington. Cataldo continued onto Route 495 north with Diaz following in what Trooper Tom Ryan described as a cat and mouse game between the two vehicles.
Witnesses told police a male passenger in Diaz’s car was throwing objects at the SUV as the vehicles drove from Route 93 to Route 495, Ryan said.
Diaz and Cataldo collided again near exit 41 in Andover and Cataldo veered onto the median, struck a tree and was thrown from the car, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators arrested Diaz at her residence.
AP-ES-02-28-04 1212EST
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