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No charges to be filed in accident that killed Marblehead teen

E-mail|Link March 17, 2010 04:49 PM

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

Saying the accident couldn't have been prevented, prosecutors announced today that no charges would be filed against the young man whose car struck and killed a 15-year-old girl in August in Marblehead.

Alessandra Castner

The car driven by Thomas Larivee, now 19, of Salem struck Alessandra Castner shortly before 7 p.m. on Aug. 24 on Pleasant Street.

A thorough investigation was conducted, including dozens of interviews, forensic analysis of Larivee's BlackBerry and a State Police collision reconstruction, Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said in a statement.

"The conclusion is that the accident was unavoidable. With no evidence to establish the commission of a crime, no charges will be brought," Early said in a statement.

The accident had rocked the seaside town. And Castner's family had questioned the pace of the investigation in the weeks after the crash.

After reports that Larivee's uncle had ties to Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, Early's office investigated to avoid any perceived or potential conflict of interest.

Gerry D'Ambrosio, an attorney representing the Castner family, said, "The family is undertaking a review of the investigative documents that were provided today and will not comment at this time."

He said the Castner family continued, however, to look for a "critical witness" who was in a white or cream-colored Infiniti FX35 at the scene of the crash.

Early's office said State Police experts determined Larivee was going 21 miles per hour at the time of the accident and that he simply didn't have time to react to seeing Castner in the crosswalk.