Driver of tractor-trailer that struck and killed Massachusetts girl, 5, crossing road with her family WON’T be charged with crime because youngster was crossing on green light
The driver of a Sysco truck who struck and killed a 5-year-old girl earlier this year will not face criminal charges, prosecutors announced.
Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the revelation Friday, just over six months after Sidney Olson was beaten on the streets of the small Massachusetts town.
The family still has a civil complaint against the driver, who struck the child as she walked to an art class in Andover with a relative on May 9.
Family members said she had the “walk” signal, but the driver didn’t see the child as he pulled forward when his light turned green.
The often busy intersection gives pedestrians the right of way, but Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker said Friday that the girl’s death was not the result of foul play.
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The decision, shared by prosecutors this week, comes just over six months after Sidney Olson (seen here) was struck on the streets of the small Massachusetts town.
The family is still pursuing civil charges against the driver, who has not been named, after he struck the child as she walked to an art class at this intersection with a relative on May 9.
He said in a statement: “The investigation findings do not provide sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges against the driver of the tractor-trailer.”
Citing a “thorough and detailed” police investigation, including video footage from the food truck, he added: “The driver was stopped at the intersection.
“As he began to drive forward at the light that turned green, he could not see Ms. Olson riding her scooter in the crosswalk below.
‘The driver was not impaired and immediately came to a controlled stop after the collision.’
The district attorney’s office added that officers performed toxicology tests on the driver and a mechanical inspection of his vehicle after he immediately stopped to cooperate with police.
Prosecutors also used several interviews with witnesses in making their decision – after several described a female relative cradling the child’s lifeless body.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Tucker’s statement did not release the driver’s name because no charges will be filed against him.
However, the Democrat praised how his office shared the findings with the Olson family, who he said were “relieved to be able to conclude the criminal investigation.”
Family members said she had the “go” signal, but the driver missed the child as he pulled forward when his light turned green
The often busy intersection gives pedestrians the right of way, but Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker said Friday that the girl’s death was not the result of foul play.
The driver of the Sysco truck stopped to cooperate with police after the crash, and was not named in the DA statement due to the lack of charges
The district attorney said in a statement: “The investigation findings do not provide sufficient evidence to file criminal charges against the driver of the tractor-trailer.”
“As he began to drive forward at the light that turned green, he could not see Ms. Olson riding her scooter in the crosswalk below. The driver was not affected by any substances and immediately came to a controlled stop after the collision.
That said, a civil case remains pending on behalf of the family after they released a statement explaining how the crash occurred at the corner of Elm and Main streets.
The statement, issued in May, recalled how the girl and another member of the family crossed the crosswalk, with the walking sign visible, as they had done “hundreds of times before.”
“The rest was a blur,” they said, before recounting how “Sidney was hit by a truck and killed, leaving an impossible void in our lives.”
Eric, Mary Beth, Sidney and Ellis Olson continued painting the youngster, describing her as a “fiercely creative” explorer who enjoyed making art, picking flowers and the music of Taylor Swift.
They wrote: ‘Sidney was an energetic girl with bright eyes and bouncy curls. She attended the Springboard to Kindergarten program at SHED School in Andover, where she was known for her gentle curiosity and her burgeoning ability to de-escalate conflict.”
The family reiterated long-held concerns about the intersection, which had also been raised by the community, calling it dangerous and in need of repairs.
They said, “Although we are not engineers, we also know that our community can do better.
“We hope the city makes quick changes to that and other high-traffic intersections so no one has to experience the pain we are feeling right now.”
Family members described Sydney – who had just started kindergarten – as a “fiercely creative” explorer who enjoyed making art, picking flowers and the music of Taylor Swift.
As the family sues the Sysco Systems driver for negligence, the family on Friday thanked law enforcement and emergency responders for their “hard work” even though it did not result in charges
The family previously raised concerns about the busy intersection shared by the community, calling it “dangerous” and in need of repairs.
They added that the decision not to file charges “does not change the terrible truth: the crash that killed Sidney, like 42,000 American traffic deaths last year, was preventable.”
The family still sued the Sysco Systems driver for negligence and on Friday thanked police and emergency services for their “hard work,” even though it did not result in charges.
They added that the decision not to file charges “does not change the terrible truth: the crash that killed Sidney, like the 42,000 American traffic deaths last year, was preventable.”
The family said: ‘That’s why on Sunday, November 19, our charity, the Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Fund, is calling for “Safe Streets for People” on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.’
The event, a run to be held on Thanksgiving, will serve to commemorate Sidney, the family said — after stating that their “greatest hope is that Sidney’s boundless love for all encourages others to look out for the common good of our community.’
As they continue to seek justice with their civil claim against the driver, the family offered one final tidbit about their dearly departed daughter — after city officials said increased safety measures are currently underway at the intersection.
They said of the youngster’s selfless attitude: ‘For her last birthday she wanted a rainbow theme because ‘it has everyone’s favorite colour.’
Family attorney Jennifer Denker added in her own statement that the “devastated” family has “filed civil claims against the driver, as well as the trucking company that owned the truck in question.”
She wrote in an email that the driver’s tractor-trailer “was not equipped with the available safety features that could have saved Sidney’s life that fateful day.”
DailyMail.com has reached out to Sysco Systems for comment.