‘I need some justice’: Family and girlfriend of man killed by hit-and-run driver speak out

BOSTON — A young man was killed early Saturday morning after he was struck by a vehicle on Storrow Drive, said Massachusetts State Police.

Shortly after 1 a.m. troopers responded to a hit-and-run crash that resulted in the death of Brandon Jennings, 22, of Marlborough.

“He was my high school sweetheart,” said his girlfriend of three years Jalene Brown with tears in her eyes and a leg that wouldn’t stop shaking. “I need some justice.”

Her anger, sadness, and frustration were visible.

“He’s not here, he’s been in an accident, he passed away and from there I completely lost it. It’s like I lost my other half my best friend. The person I did everything with.”

“He was my best friend for a very long time and a lot of first I was doing was with him,” said friend Sandro Oliveria. “I love him to death.”

A preliminary investigation indicated that Jennings was walking by himself after hanging out with friends on Storrow Drive near the off-ramp to the Tobin Bridge and Interstate 93 north when he was struck and killed. Jennings was pronounced deceased at the scene.

According to officers, a motorist driving behind the suspect vehicle, a gray 2007 Honda Accord, followed it after it fled from the crash. The witness followed the Accord to an apartment building on Centre St. in Lynn and provided its location and license plate to the police.

When troopers arrived at Centre Street in Lynn they located Miguel Rodriguez, 36, in possession of the key to the Accord, and additional investigation corroborated that he had been using the car, which is registered to another man.

A trooper then administered a breath test to Rodriguez which showed a blood alcohol content of .119 roughly two hours after the crash.

“To drink and drive and kill a young boy with big dreams I don’t think that’s fair for the family,” said his aunt Rosanna Riveiro.

“The fact that the guy was drunk makes people upset but also makes us feel a little blessed that someone was there to kind of follow the guy home because it wasn’t a witness he probably wouldn’t know what happened to him even now,” said cousin Junior Aragao.

The family says they would love to know who that witness was so they can say thank you.

“He was just there by himself alone and no one would’ve helped him no one would’ve known if it wasn’t for that one witness,” said Brown. “I just want to hear what his lawyer has to say for him and what exactly was going through his mind to kill someone’s loved one and decide to speed off.”

Based on the evidence and witness statements Rodriguez was arrested and charged with motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence of liquor, operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in injury or death, and failure to stop or yield.

Rodriguez is expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on Monday.

The investigation remains ongoing.

“He was a bundle of joy,” said Brown. “He was outgoing he loved everyone his laugh is contagious and the way that he cared for people was so contagious. That’s something I feel like no one will forget you always left a mark on everyone and definitely left a mark on me.”

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