By Yadira Betances

METHUEN — A Methuen teenager, accused of running down a 12-year-old boy in a Lowell crosswalk, and her father are being sued by the boy’s family.

On Dec. 4, attorneys Barry A. Feinstein of Peabody and Peter J. Carrozza of Methuen filed a suit in Lawrence Superior Court against Michelle Medeiros and her father, Fernando, both of 14 Bernard Lane, on behalf of Dao Savanhmixay and her son, Kelvin.

The lawsuit stems from an accident Nov. 18 and alleges that Michelle Medeiros, alone and at the wheel of her father’s car, struck Kelvin while driving back to Lawrence from Lowell.

As a result of the accident, the suit said, Kelvin Savanhmixay “has suffered and continues to suffer great pain of body and mind,” and “has been prevented from enjoying life and has suffered permanent loss of function and disfigurement.”

Medeiros, 17, a senior at Methuen High, pleaded not guilty earlier this month to charges of leaving the scene of an accident, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian, failure to use caution when changing lanes, and operating at a speed greater than reasonable and proper.

She was initially charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident. Her driver’s license was revoked.

Medeiros was visiting the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus the day of the accident.

According to Lowell police, Medeiros was returning to Lawrence in a rush when she passed a car that had stopped to let Kelvin cross the street.

Medeiros’ car struck Kelvin, throwing him about 20 feet in the air at the Mammoth Road and Route 113 intersection, and left him for dead, police said.

Instead of stopping, she drove to a Lawrence salon to get her hair done, police said.

Medeiros then called Lawrence police to report that the blue Acura was vandalized near the salon.

She tried to cover up the accident by filing a false police report in Lawrence and towing the vehicle to a body shop, police said. The car had a broken bumper and a large depression in the windshield.

Lawrence police Officer Adam Goujon had heard a regional police radio broadcast describing the car sought in Lowell, and he remembered the report of the vandalized Acura in Lawrence. Goujon connected the two reports.

According to police, Medeiros confessed after the officer contacted Lowell police to report the damaged Acura matched the description of the car sought in Lowell.

Police officers from Lawrence, Methuen and Lowell went to the body shop. Lowell officers identified the car as the one described by witnesses. It had an estimate for the damage on the dashboard.

Original: http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x546153174/Law-suit-filed-against-Methuen-teen-in-hit-and-run-case