Malden woman, 63, killed after being struck on sidewalk following two-SUV crash

Ward 5 resident was hit by careening vehicle while standing with shopping pushcart on sidewalk

By Steve Freker

A 63-year-old Malden woman was killed after being struck by a careening SUV while standing on the sidewalk with her pushcart full of food last week. The fatal pedestrian tragedy took place this past Thursday, October 19 around noon.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin identified the victim for the first time on Wednesday. Mary T. McTaggart, who was believed to be a Forest Street resident, was the victim in the case, authorities said.

According to the Middlesex DA, the preliminary investigation indicates that a BMW SUV was traveling south on Main Street when it collided with another SUV that was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection with Mountain Avenue. This is one of Malden’s busiest intersections. After striking the first vehicle, the BMW SUV ultimately traveled off the roadway, striking two telephone poles and knocking down a traffic light, before fatally striking an adult female – who was identified as Mary McTaggart – who was standing on the sidewalk. She was trapped underneath the BMW, and firefighters used Jaws of Life to help free her from the wrecked vehicle. She was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

According to reports, the victim had just visited the Middlesex YMCA Food Pantry nearby on Dartmouth Street and most likely was headed home on foot with her pushcart.

The driver of the BMW remained on the scene. Two occupants of the vehicle that was initially struck were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution, though no injuries have been reported to either them or the driver of the BMW SUV. No other persons in the area of the crash were reported injured as a result of the accident.

Some news reports stated the driver and passenger in the vehicle that was struck while parked at the traffic light were on duty agents of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), though that information has not been confirmed by either the Middlesex DA or Malden Police at this time.

The intersection was shut down due to the ensuing investigation and because the traffic light was knocked down and not operable through Friday and into Saturday. Also, the stretch of road from the YMCA front door on Mountain Avenue going east to the Main Street intersection was shut down for over 24 hours into Saturday due to the investigation.

A funeral fund for Mary T. McTaggart has been set up by a person identifying as her cousin on a GoFundMe Page accessible at the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-fund-for-mary-teresa-mctaggart. As of Thursday morning, nearly $7,500 had been raised.

No charges had been reported as being filed in connection with the crash as of Advocate press deadline Thursday morning.

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