Man Convicted Of Arborway Crash Awaits Sentence

JAMAICA PLAIN, MA - A man convicted of causing a traumatic car crash on the Arborway could be facing two years behind bars.

Nikolas Papadopoulos, 20, of West Roxbury, was convicted on Jan. 19 of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, the Suffolk County District Attorney said in a statement.

The charges stem from a Sept. 6, 2013 car crash that resulted in life-changing injuries. Papadopoulos will face sentencing on Feb. 3.

The courts proved Papadopoulos was driving well over the speed limit when his vehicle crossed the median and crashed into a 2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck, according to the statement.

Passenger Mark Delamere, then 14-years-old, suffered a traumatic brain injury after being ejected from the vehicle and now uses a wheelchair, the Boston globe reported. There were two other teenage passengers in the car: one suffered severe injuries and the other suffered less severe injuries, according to the statement.

The driver of the pickup truck, Kevin Cellucci, 33, of Dorchester, also suffered severe injuries and can no longer move or communicate on his own, WCVB reported. Celluli is the father of three children.

The truck’s passenger suffered less severe injuries, according to the statement

The recent conviction has been a long time in the making. Papadopoulos pled guilty to the charges back in 2014 but withdrew his plea after an emotional video from the Cellucci family was played in court and the judge issued a two-year sentence, WCVB reported.

“These victims and their families waited more than two and a half years for this day,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a statement released the day of the conviction. “Throughout these proceedings, they’ve conducted themselves with enormous strength and grace despite the grievous injuries inflicted upon them. They’ve been inspirations to every member of the trial team.”