Trial begins for man charged in 2021 fatal crash that ejected woman, 35, into PD parking lot
WORCESTER — The lawyer of a man facing trial for charges stemming from a 2021 fatal crash argued in Worcester Superior Court Monday that the driver struck a bump on the road that sent him into an out-of-control swerve.
The crash claimed the life of a passenger, Jessica L. Simone, 35.
Mfouad A. Faris faces manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges after he slammed into an oncoming car on Goldsberry Street about 2 a.m. Oct. 10, 2021, causing ejection of Simone from the car and into the parking lot of the nearby Worcester Police Department.
Simone, a hairdresser who at the time of the crash was studying to become a radiology technician, was pronounced dead at UMass Memorial Medical Center, despite on-duty police officers rushing out of the station to give first aid.
In court Monday, a 14-member jury looked on as photos from the crash were shown. The images depicted Faris’ Mitsubishi Lancer with a mangled front and a Subaru sport utility vehicle with its front-end damaged.
Daniel Bennett, a special prosecutor for the Worcester County District Attorney's Office, alleged Monday that Faris was drag racing with Fares N. Shaikh-Omar, then 20, while on their way home after leaving Compass Tavern.
Shaikh-Omar also faces manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges.
Using surveillance video, Bennett pointed out Shaikh-Omar's white BMW 335 overtaking Faris as traffic lights turned green on Summer Street near Thomas Street.
In another video, Faris’ blue Mitsubishi Lancer is then seen attempting to pass the white BMW in the wrong lane of travel.
While Goldsberry Street has a speed limit of 30 mph, Officer Keith Garlick, a Worcester police reconstructionist, said Monday that Faris’ Mitsubishi was traveling at an average 53 mph.
Officer Thomas A. Feraco, also of the department’s reconstruction team, said that he calculated Faris’ speed using tire tracks near the crash site at about 71 mph.
Defense lawyer Steven Goldwyn disputed the numbers, claiming flaws in the method used by both members of the Police Department, often citing incomplete information.
Moreover, Goldwyn said in his opening statement that Faris “righted the ship” after traveling on the left lane on Goldsberry Street, having full control of the car before it hit a “big bump” on the road, sending the car into a tailspin, then crashing against a Subaru in the opposite lane.
The driver of the Subaru, Juliana Bahman, of Worcester, said in court Monday that before the accident she noticed Faris’ car attempt to merge back into its lane as it drove “at a pretty significant speed,” losing control and coming into her lane right before the crash.
As they took the witness stand Monday, city police officers working early morning Oct. 10 said the crash sounded like “a bomb went off” and “an explosion.”
Simone was the daughter of Kevin Harkins, a man who disappeared from a Worcester pub in 1994. Three men were later convicted of murdering him.
Last Thursday, two other charges against Faris, reckless operation of motor vehicle and racing motor vehicle were dropped.
The trial for manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges is set to resume Tuesday with a site visit of the accident planned for jury members.
Judge William J. Ritter said Monday the trial is expected to last no further than Wednesday afternoon.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Trial begins for man charged in 2021 fatal crash of Jessica Simone, 35
