Defendant accused of robbing blind man

Two former managers of a Big Dig contractor pleaded guilty yesterday to being part of a conspiracy to deliver substandard concrete to the massive highway project. Six former managers of Aggregate Industries NE Inc. were indicted in 2006 on charges they falsified records to hide the inferior quality of more than 5,000 truckloads of concrete. They were accused of recycling concrete that was too old or already rejected by inspectors and in some cases double-billing for the loads. Gerard McNally, a former quality control manager, and Keith Thomas, a former dispatch manager, pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including two conspiracy counts, five mail fraud counts, and five counts of filing false reports in connection with a federal highway project. A prosecutor said in court yesterday that as part of their plea agreements, both McNally and Thomas have agreed to cooperate against the other four men and will testify against them during their trial, which is scheduled to begin Monday in US District Court. (AP)

Police have identified the delivery truck driver who died Tuesday after falling while unloading beer kegs at a South Boston restaurant. Paul Tintoni, 43, of Medford fell off a loading dock, suffering a fatal head injury at the Barking Crab restaurant on Sleeper Street near Fort Point Channel. He was taken to Tufts Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, police said.

A man was struck by a car and injured while crossing a Dorchester street in a crosswalk last night, authorities said. Gerard Smith of the Boston Fire Department said the unidentified man was coming out of a liquor store on Dorchester Avenue near Gibson Street at about 9 when he was struck by a silver sedan. Police closed off the street for about an hour. A witness, who declined to give his name, said a car in the southbound lane of Dorchester Avenue had stopped at the crosswalk and was waiting for the man to cross when a car in the northbound lane struck the man, smashing the vehicle’s windshield and sending him flying onto the street. The man, who was believed to be in his 20s, was transported to Boston Medical Center, but his condition was unknown last night, police said. Police could not say whether the driver would face charges.

The Obama administration should grant temporary protection to Haitians living in the United States illegally, Senators John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts say in a letter to be sent today to the president. The letter, authored by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and signed by Kennedy, Kerry, and two other senators, says that forcing thousands to return after their nation was devastated by hurricanes last year will “aggravate a challenging humanitarian situation.” Temporary protected status is typically granted to people whose homelands have been ravaged by war or natural disasters. An estimated 3,000 Haitians are living illegally in Massachusetts.

Gay marriage foes in Maine say they’ve collected 55,087 signatures, enough to stop the new law from going into effect and to force a statewide vote in November. The law that’s scheduled to go into effect Sept. 12 will be put on hold after the signatures are submitted and certified by the secretary of state’s office. (AP)