Press Release  Somerville Man Held Without Bail in Fatal Saugus Crash

Saugus, MA — A Somerville man was arraigned today on charges in connection with a fatal head-on collision in Saugus.  Judge Robert Murphy, Jr. ordered him held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for June 17th.

William Leger, 35, pleaded not guilty to Motor Vehicle Homicide by Reckless Operation, Unarmed Robbery, Receiving a Stolen Vehicle (subsequent offense), Operating a Motor Vehicle with a Suspended License (subsequent offense), Marked Lanes Violation, Speeding, and Driving the Wrong Way on a State Highway.  He appeared in Lynn District Court via Zoom from Massachusetts General Hospital.

The charges allege that after robbing a convenience store, Leger drove a stolen vehicle at a high rate of speed the wrong way on Route 107 in Saugus and crashed head-on into another vehicle, killing the sole occupant.  Ashley Forward, 19, of Lynn, was pronounced dead at the scene.  Leger was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Saugus Police, Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, Essex State Police Detective Unit and the Essex District Attorney’s Office initiated an investigation.  The investigation revealed that the defendant’s car, a grey 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, was reported stolen on June 2, 2021 to Lynn Police and that the defendant was operating with a suspended license.

Essex Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Shugrue represented the Commonwealth.

The defendant is represented by Attorney Nathaniel Spinney and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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