Driver indicted for Newton Sweet Tomatoes deadly crash

NEWTON, Mass. — The driver who careened into the Newton Sweet Tomatoes in March, killing two people, has been indicted on two counts of motor vehicle homicide, the District Attorney said Wednesday.

Bradford Casler, 55, allegedly drove his Volkswagon SUV over the middle line, hitting several cars before crashing into the front of Sweet Tomatoes.

Gregory D. Morin, 32, of Newton, and Eleanor Miele, 57, of Watertown (pictured below), were both pronounced dead at the scene. Seven others sustained serious injuries, including the young manager of the restaurant. 

Family members asked for privacy on the day the charges were announced.

Firefighters told FOX25 that the scene was complete chaos, as reported on FOX25 News in March.

Tony Wilson told FOX25 he and his fiancee were two of the people injured at the time of the crash.

“My body went into shock. It was really scary. Fatalities around us. Fatality laying on top of me. Fiancee, I had to move her off. To get me out of there, there was a gas leak, it was very scary,” he said.

Casler is also charged with one count of operating to endanger. FOX25 reached out to Casler's mother, but she declined to comment.

District Attorney Marian Ryan said this case took six months because they wanted to get it right.

"We want to be fair to everyone. These are obviously tragic situations, two people lost their lives, we have seven people who have been seriously injured," she told FOX25.

She said little about what facts led her to present the serious charges to a grand jury.

The crash heavily damaged the restaurant, and many were concerned about opening before new safety measures. As reported on FOX25 in June, DPW Commissioner Jim McGonagle told citizens that the city was prepared to install 13 concrete protective bollards on the sidewalk in front of Sweet Tomatoes and other businesses on Washington Street.

Cox Media Group