Special prosecutor appointed in car crash case against Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara

A special prosecutor has been appointed in the criminal case against Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara, who is accused of crashing her car into a home in Jamaica Plain while driving with a revoked license.

The decision by the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office to appoint a special prosecutor from the Worcester District Attorney’s Office comes as Lara’s defense team seeks to get the charges against her dismissed.

“An employee in our office is married to one of Lara’s opponents so we appointed a special to avoid any appearance of a conflict,” a spokesperson for the Suffolk DA said. “It’s standard procedure in such situations.”

During a court hearing on Wednesday, Lara’s attorneys asked a judge to throw the case out because investigators never issued her a citation immediately after the car wreck earlier this summer.

The crash left Lara’s son injured and caused serious property damage, police said.

Lara has pleaded not guilty to charges of operating negligently so as to endanger, recklessly permitting bodily injury to a child under 14, driving a car with a suspended license, and driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle.

In the weeks after the crash, Boston police released bodycam footage showing the aftermath.

Four lengthy videos feature officers speaking with Lara in the moments after the crash and an interview with a man who claimed the councilor was driving “like a bat out of hell” before she struck a house on Centre Street on June 30.

Lara was driving more than double the 25 mph speed limit, according to police. Investigators also said that her 7-year-old son was also not adequately restrained in a booster seat, and he had to go to the hospital with injuries.

Lara has not held a valid driver’s license since 2013, yet she “regularly” drove to work at Boston City Hall, a city spokesperson previously told Boston 25.

According to her driving record, Lara has had at least six other violations over the last decade.

Earlier this month, Elections Commission members ruled against residents challenging Boston City Councilor Kendra Lara’s place of residency.

Lara is due back in court in October.

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