Malden resident killed in Mystic Avenue car crash

  Airton Dutra-Moraes, 47, of Malden, was killed on November 28 when he lost control of his 2008 Toyota Prius and smashed into a tree on Mystic Avenue in Medford. According to police, no other cars were involved in the crash, which happened at approximately 12:25 p.m. near the Fulbright Street intersection. Dutra-Moraes was rushed to the hospital, where he later passed away from his injuries.

  Ari Dos Passos, a friend of Dutra-Moraes, set up a GoFundMe Page to help the family cover the funeral costs. To date, $3,417 has been raised.

  Although the incident remains under investigation, Dos Passos said he might know what may have caused the crash. “Airton suffered from severe hypoglycemia which causes him to lose consciousness whenever his blood sugar level would go too low,” he said. “We suspect his hypoglycemia caused him to pass out while driving, leading him to crash into a tree.”

  Dos Passos said Dutra-Moraes had recently immigrated to the United States from Brazil and was working as a DoorDash delivery driver. Dos Passos said his friend would frequently go to work at 5 a.m. and would not return home until 18 hours later. “Airton was a hardworking man,” he said.

  Dutra-Moraes also had an affinity for running. “When he was not working Airton loved to go on runs with his wife Lana,” said Dos Passos. “They dreamed of running the biggest marathons offered in the U.S. such as the Boston Marathon and the New York Marathon.”