A pedestrian was killed and a driver was attacked in Watertown

WATERTOWN – A woman was fatally injured Wednesday when she was hit by a tow truck as she was crossing Route 16 and a man suspected of being his son stabbed the trucker five times. shouting, "You killed my mother! "

The incident took place at the intersection of Route 16 and Galen Street at approximately 11:20 am and is under investigation by the State Police and Watertown Police as well as the Attorney's Office. Middlesex District, Marian T. Ryan.

Ryan told reporters at a press conference that the police had responded to a 911 call for a road rage incident.

She said the police had discovered that a woman aged 60 or 70 had been hit by a flat tow truck and had been declared dead at the scene.

A young man, suspected of being related to the victim, had a fight with the tow truck driver and stabbed him about five times in the chest, Ryan said. This man was in custody on Wednesday afternoon.

The tow truck driver was taken to a Boston hospital and is in critical condition.

"The identity of the deceased will be disclosed pending notification from the next of kin," said Ryan's office in a statement. "It's an open and active inquiry. The fee information will be published as soon as it is available. "

The violence scenario was seen by people waiting at an MBTA bus stop and at one of the main intersections of the city near the Newton border. Portions of Route 16 – also known as Watertown Street – were closed by police at 11:45 am Wednesday.

A witness, Carlos Gonzalez-Moreno, said that he was waiting on board a T bus when he saw the truck stop – and stay there, even if it was not. other drivers began to whistle, seemingly frustrated.

Gonzalez-Moreno, a 19-year-old Suffolk University student, told The Globe that he heard someone yell, "You killed my mother!" This person is fighting with the driver of the tow truck.

Another witness, Zeidan Taha, the director of Watertown Taxi, was among the first to call the police and warn them of the accident.

Taha said the woman was crossing the street with a man he believed to be his son when she was hit by the tow truck and suffered what was clearly a serious head injury.

"The son has gone crazy," he said.

Taha said that the man, who seemed to be in his forties, was furious. He screamed and screamed in the street and took out a knife. He clashed with the driver of the tow truck and began stabbing him several times, he said.

"The guy kept stabbing him and chasing him around the truck," said Taha.

Taha said that the driver of the tow truck had repeatedly said to the angry man, "I have not seen it! I did not see her! "

Taha said that the tow truck had tried to get away from the man, who had stabbed him several times in his stomach and back.

The tow truck driver was rushed to a local hospital for treatment and was in critical condition, according to Ryan.

Ryan stated that the man had been arrested at the scene by the Watertown police and had since been taken to an undisclosed hospital. He should not appear in court Wednesday and Ryan will not say what motivated the hospitalization of the man.

A yellow police ribbon was hung around the intersection. Yellow evidence was on the sidewalk. One was placed next to what appeared to be blood stains.

"It was a bad scene here," said Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn. He asked the public to stay away from the area, the current investigation probably affecting the traffic.

Lawn also made a point to assure residents that the neighborhood was safe and that the suspect was detained.

"We will be here for hours," he said.

The intersection remained closed while the police conducted their investigation on the spot. The police had covered the body of the woman, who appeared to have landed under the rear wheels of the truck, with a white sheet.

No other information is currently available.

Travis Andersen, Globe Staff, contributed to this report. John R. Ellement can be contacted [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe. Emily Sweeney can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @emilysweeney.