BOSTON, March 20, 2014—A Quincy man was arraigned this morning for a South End hit-and-run crash that left a pedestrian with life threatening injuries, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

LAWRENCE STEAD (D.O.B. 6/1/44) was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident causing personal injury.  Stead was released on $1,100 bail after his arrest yesterday and today walked in to court.  Assistant District Attorney Emily Hamrock requested bail of $10,000 and that Stead be ordered not to drive while the case is pending.  Judge Sally Kelly declined to impose any additional bail or conditions of release.

Hamrock told the court that Boston Police officers responded to the area of 395 Massachusetts Ave. shortly after 6:00 yesterday morning for a report that a driver struck a pedestrian.

The victim, an adult male whose identity had not been confirmed by late this morning, suffered life threatening injuries and was transported to Boston Medical Center.  He remains in critical condition.

Witnesses told police that the victim was struck by a gray Mercury that did not immediately stop.  The vehicle finally stopped approximately 75 feet from the scene, where witnesses said the driver inspected the vehicle before driving off.  The witnesses were able to provide police with the car’s license plate number.

An inquiry of the license plate number revealed that it was registered to a 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis owned by Stead.

Quincy Police officers arrived at Stead’s address to confirm that the vehicle was there and were approached by Stead.  Later, during an interview with Boston police, Stead made post-Miranda statements indicating he believed he had hit something while driving on Massachusetts Avenue. He allegedly said he pulled over and checked his car and its surroundings, but did not notice damage to his vehicle or see what it was that he struck, prosecutors said.

Stead was represented by William Hogan.  He will return to court July 9.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.