Massachusetts State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit Investigates Deadly Randolph Collision That Killed Leonard McStevens on Route 139
RANDOLPH, MASSACHUSETTS (August 9, 2025) – A 49-year-old pedestrian from Braintree identified as Leonard McStevens has tragically died in a Randolph car accident along Route 139.
Norfolk County officials are saying that the collision took place around 9:10 PM on Tuesday. Leonard McStevens was attempting to cross the road when he was hit by a pickup truck operated by a 28-year-old man from Canton.
Paramedics were called to the scene to help the victim. Leonard McStevens was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries.
Sadly, his condition worsened at the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The office for the district attorney said that no charges were filed directly after the collision. A full investigation by the Massachusetts State Police remains ongoing.
Liability for Randolph Pedestrian Accidents
Every driver in Illinois has a legal obligation to use caution to avoid colliding with any pedestrian. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 90, § 14, drivers must slow down when they are approaching any pedestrian who is in the roadway. Even if a pedestrian is not in a marked crosswalk, drivers must continue to use a great deal of caution to avoid hitting them. Several factors could contribute to a pedestrian collision and may constitute negligence.
- Speed: A large portion of car accidents involve drivers that are speeding. Even driving the speed limit could be considered dangerous, depending on the prevailing conditions and traffic.
- Distractions: Driver distraction is another major cause of pedestrian collisions. In particular, drivers may be distracted by their cell phones or reaching for an item that they dropped.
- Fatigue: Driving while fatigued can be incredibly dangerous. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours can reduce a person’s ability to drive safely equal to driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%.
Car accidents can be incredibly complex events. The factors that contribute to any pedestrian collision could take place days, weeks, or even months beforehand. Establishing liability for any collision necessitates the collection of a great deal of evidence. At the end of the day, evidence can help paint a clear picture of what happened, regardless of what one person may claim.
Third-Party Liability for Pedestrian Collisions
In certain circumstances, it is possible that liability for any collision could extend beyond the driver who is deemed to be at fault. This is particularly true if a vehicle like a pickup truck or van was being used for commercial purposes. As a general rule, employers are vicariously liable for the wrongful actions of their employees in Massachusetts. Certain factors must be present for vicarious liability to apply.
- Employee Relationship: The person who committed the wrongful actions must be an actual employee, not merely an independent contractor.
- Scope: The conduct in question must have been performed as the employee was operating within the course and scope of their job duties. This will include all activities that could be reasonably related to their job.
- Benefit: The wrongful act must have been motivated by a worker’s desire to further their employer’s business interests.
- Foreseeability: The wrongful conduct was reasonably foreseeable within the context of a worker’s employment.
It can be difficult to know where to begin after any car accident. Victims are often left traumatized, and fatal accidents can devastate a family’s psychological and financial well-being. To make matters worse, negligent drivers will virtually never admit that they did anything wrong.
It is important for victims to understand that they do have legal rights. In particular, the family of any person who wrongfully died in a collision may be able to seek some measure of accountability and transparency through a civil action.
Investigating Randolph Pedestrian Accidents
We at DiBella Law extend our deepest condolences to the family of Leonard McStevens. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Massachusetts State Police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. Many questions remain unanswered at this time.
Do you need more information about a Boston pedestrian accident? Our team of pedestrian accident attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping accident victims understand their rights and holding negligent drivers accountable for their wrongful actions.
We can investigate any accident free of cost and get to the bottom of what happened. Whether you need a free police report or would like any type of legal assistance, we are here for you. You are always welcome to reach out to us anytime at (617) 870-0907.