Defense witness says Karen Read’s SUV didn’t hit John O’Keefe

The Karen Read murder case is nearing its end.

Both sides returned to the courtroom on Friday after a day off, and according to Read, her defense is expected to rest their case next week.

Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are.

WATCH HERE

Prosecutors have argued that Read hit her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV in Canton, Massachusetts, leaving him to die in the snow in 2022.

Read's team called accident reconstruction expert Daniel Wolfe of ARCCA to the stand.

Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox with our News Headlines newsletter.

He testified that the damage to her vehicle is inconsistent with a pedestrian crash.

"I've seen hundreds of collisions, all different types of accidents," he said.

The prosecution fought tooth and nail to keep Karen Read's ARCCA witnesses from testifying, but the first of two took the stand Friday. Here's what he said — when the judge didn't sustain objections to the questioning — and what it was like in court. Plus, a former police chief reflects on the recent officer testimony in the trial, a former juror answers some key questions on how objections are seen from the jury box and much more.

Wolfe conducted numerous tests on the broken taillight of Read's SUV, one of which involved hitting the arm of a crash dummy with the taillight. Another test used a full dummy wearing the same clothing as O'Keefe, with the SUV driving in reverse at 24 mph, as prosecutors say she was at the time.

"Based upon the test results, it's inconsistent with striking an arm," he said.

Eariler in the trial, prosecutors called accident reconstruction expert Judson Welcher, who testified that O'Keefe's injuries are consistent with being hit by an SUV.

Wolfe said he reviewed Welcher's testing, including his reenactment using blue grease paint. He testified that he found it to be incomplete.

The Karen Read murder case is nearing its end. Both sides will return to the courtroom on Friday after a day off, and according to Read, her defense is expected to rest their case next week.

During cross-examination, special prosecutor Hank Brennan attacked Wolfe and his findings, accusing him and ARCCA of an improper relationship with the defense -- an issue that nearly led to sanctions against Read's attorneys as the retiral got underway.

Asked about the prosecution's effort to discredit Wolfe, Read said outside court, "I don't even know where to begin."

Wolfe will return to the stand Monday.