Man charged with manslaughter after allegedly pushing friend into Charles River
A 26-year-old man who police say was pushed into the Charles River Tuesday afternoon by an acquaintance died overnight at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, according to authorities.
The Suffolk District Attorney’s office said Wednesday that Mitchell Harrison, of Watertown, was sleeping, or intoxicated, when he was pushed into the river by Lenny Quintero-Flores, 27, of Malden. State police said the two men had been drinking alcohol on the dock near the Massachusetts Avenue bridge before Quintero-Flores allegedly pushed Harrison into the water.
Quintero-Flores was arraigned Wednesday in Charlestown Municipal Court on manslaughter charges, according to the DA’s office.
Officials say state police responded to a call at 5:10 p.m., at which point Harrison had been underwater for approximately 10 minutes.
After being pulled from the river at about 5:20 p.m. by the state police marine unit and Boston Fire Department divers, authorities said Harrison was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in “grave condition.” Hours later, after 11 p.m., state police tweeted that they determined he had been pushed into the river and arrested the man who pushed him.
Harrison died early Wednesday morning at the hospital, officials said.
According to investigators, witnesses told police the two men were drinking together, before Quintero-Flores used his feet to push Harrison, who was either asleep or unconscious, from the dock into the water. Prosecutors say an empty bottle of vodka was found at the scene.
Prosecutors say that during an interview with investigators, Quintero-Flores admitted that he pushed Harrison into the water, but said he did not know Harrison was apparently asleep or unconscious.
Before his arraignment, Quintero-Flores told reporters outside the courthouse that Harrison was his friend and they “were just playing around.”
Lenny Quintero-Flores says victim was his best friend, they were just playing around @NECN pic.twitter.com/TX4yeAvqyf
— Monica Madeja NBC10 Boston (@MonicaNBCBoston) June 22, 2016
Judge Lawrence McCormick set bail at $25,000, at the request of prosecutors. According to officials, Quintero-Flores will return to court July 22.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com