May 18, 2016
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tim Connolly 508-368-7236
Or 508-688-5565
WORCESTER –The man accused of driving his car into a State Police cruiser killing State Trooper Thomas Clardy in March was secretly indicted today by a Worcester County Grand Jury, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
David K. Njuguna, 30, of 6 Wall St., Webster, was indicted for manslaughter, manslaughter by motor vehicle, motor vehicle homicide by negligence, motor vehicle homicide (operating under the influence of drugs), negligent operation and operating an uninsured vehicle.
Mr. Njuguna was arraigned today in Worcester Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty and Judge Daniel M. Wrenn set bail at $500,000. The case was continued to June 30 for a pre-trial conference.
The secret indictments were handed up earlier today and an arrest warrant was issued for Mr. Njuguna.
The crash occurred at about noon on March 16. Trooper Clardy, who was assigned to the Charlton barracks, was conducting a motor vehicle stop on the westbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike at mile marker 80 in Charlton. He was sitting in the cruiser when Mr. Njuguna’s Nissan Maxima struck the cruiser from behind.
Investigators now believe the Maxima was speeding at the time of the crash and that it struck the cruiser after swerving across three lanes of traffic into the breakdown lane.