Teen Says He Wasn't Texting At Time Of Fatal Crash

The Haverhill teen accused of texting while driving before causing a fatal car accident testified in his defense Tuesday that he didn't send a text message from behind the wheel.

Prosecutors allege that Aaron Deveau, now 18, was texting while driving on Feb. 20, 2011, when his car crossed the center line and crashed into a truck driven by Donald Bowley, a 55-year-old who died 18 days later from injuries sustained in the accident.

WCVB-TV reports:

[On the stand Tuesday, Deveau] admitted that he texted while at his place of employment but that when he left and began driving, he placed his cell phone on the seat of his car.

He added that he didn't pick up the phone until “after the accident to call my parents,” according to WBZ-TV.

However, as the Boston Globe reports:

... [Essex Assistant District Attorney Ashlee Logan] pulled out cellphone records and showed Deveau that a text message was sent at 2:34 p.m. that day. Deveau said he did not recall creating or sending a text message at that time and insisted he did not text while driving.

Prosecutors say the accident took place two minutes later, according to the Globe.

Deveau faces charges including motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and, as the Globe reports, a "new state law that makes it a crime for a driver to text while behind the wheel when a person is injured during a crash."

After both sides presented closing arguments, the jury began deliberations Tuesday afternoon.

For the various charges, Deveau faces up to 4.5 years in jail if convicted.