Family remember man killed in Storrow hit-and-run

After a 22-year-old man’s life was cut short by a hit-and-run accident on Saturday, his loved ones reflect on the hole left in their lives.

Brandon Jennings from Marlborough died after being hit by a car while walking near Storrow Drive around 1am on Saturday. He was walking near the Tobin Bridge off-ramp and I-93 north when the crash happened, according to Massachusetts State Police.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jennings is remembered through the memories of his family, close friends and girlfriend.

Jalene Brown was Jennings’ high school girlfriend and girlfriend of 3 years.

“It’s as if I had lost my better half, my best friend. The person I did everything with,” she told Boston 25 News.

Jennings’ friend Sandro Oliveria said: “He was my best friend for a very long time…I love him to death.”

In his spare time, Jennings could be found going to the movies or exploring nature according to his obituary. He also loved photography.

After the crash, someone driving behind the car that hit Jennings followed the fleeing vehicle out of the scene. The car that hit Jennings was determined to be a gray 2007 Honda Accord.

This driver followed the Honda Accord to an apartment building at 65 Center St. in Lynn and gave the location and license plate number to police.

Police identified the driver of the Honda as 36-year-old Miguel Rodriguez. Two hours after the accident, Rodrigues recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.119 after undergoing a breathalyzer test.

“To drink and drive and kill a young boy with big dreams, I don’t think that’s fair to the family,” Jennings’ aunt Rosanna Riveiro said.

Jennings’ relatives said they felt a sense of comfort that there was a witness at the scene.

“The fact that the guy was drunk makes people upset but also makes us feel a bit blessed that someone is there to follow the guy home because [if it wasn’t for] the witness, we probably wouldn’t know what happened to him even now,” his cousin Junior Aragao said.

“He was just there all alone and no one would have helped him. Nobody would have known if it hadn’t been for this witness. I just want to hear what his attorney has to say for him and what exactly went through his mind to kill someone’s loved one and decide to run away,” Brown said.

Based on the amount of evidence and witness statements, Rodriguez was arrested by Massachusetts State Police troopers. He is scheduled to appear in Boston Municipal Court’s Central Division on Monday to be arraigned.

Incidents are still under investigation.