A Massachusetts woman who was struck by a hit-and-run driver in Revere has died from her injuries.
Maryann Fiandaca, 46, of Revere, was struck and killed by an SUV on Route 145 on Monday night. Police responded to the crash around 8:30 p.m. and said a dark-colored, possibly blue or black sport utility vehicle struck Fiandaca and fled the scene.
“We believe this to be a tragic accident,” said Peter Marano, the attorney for the man driving the SUV that struck Fiandaca.
Marano said his client – 79-year-old Paul Graf – didn’t realize he had hit someone.
“He heard what he thought was a bang from hitting a pothole or something wrong in the road," Marano said. "When he got home, he noticed the damage to his vehicle and we contacted the state police."
He said Graf, who is a longtime accountant in Revere, was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, doesn’t own a cell phone, and has never even had a speeding ticket.
He said the location of the damage to Graf's vehicle may be important for investigators in determining what actually happened.
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“There was damage to the bottom of the car that we could see that would be consistent with something laying in the roadway,” Marano said, “as opposed to someone standing up in the roadway and being hit.”
John Dourado, who knew Fiandaca, said he lives in the same building where she was staying with an elderly man. Dourado said after the crash, he went to help look for the vehicle.
"I ended up going for a ride to see if we could find the car because I like to help too," he said. "But I couldn't find anything because I didn't know what car it was. If you hit somebody — if you have an accident — you should stop always to check if the person is good or not."
The victim’s daughter, Kaylee Ann Fiandaca, said on a GoFundMe page set up for her mother’s funeral expenses, “My mum was such a kind, free spirit, funny, loving, giving, soul. She was one of my favorite people and I loved her dearly.”
Marano said, “We want to offer our sincere condolences to the family of Ms. Fiandaca.”
The investigation into the crash is ongoing. Graf is scheduled to meet with investigators from the state police and the district attorney’s office on Friday to discuss what happened.
