New Hampshire man faces fourth OUI charge after hitting two vehicles in East Boston
BOSTON, August 28, 2025 – A New Hampshire man faces his fourth impaired driving charge after striking one vehicle in East Boston Monday and being seen by Boston firefighters inhaling from an aerosol can after striking a second vehicle, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
MATTHEW MOITOZA, 36, of Rye was charged in East Boston BMC Tuesday with operating under the influence of drugs (4th offense), two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, and one count of driving to endanger. Moitoza was also cited for driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
Judge Debra DelVecchio declared Moitoza dangerous and ordered him into the Massachusetts Alcohol and Substance Abuse Center (MASAC) for treatment. Moitoza will return to court September 2 for a status hearing.
At about 5:40 p.m. on Monday officers responded to a radio call for a motor vehicle accident involving an intoxicated person near 809 Saratoga Street in East Boston. Officers were notified that a gray Lexus SUV with a New Hampshire license plate struck a tree and a parked car and fled the scene. Officers were updated that the vehicle fled toward Orient Heights and struck a second parked vehicle in the area of Bennington and Saratoga streets.
Boston firefighters at the scene saw the Lexus in traffic. The firefighters saw the driver, later identified as Moitoza, inhaling a substance out of an aerosol can. When they attempted to talk to Moitoza he tried to drive away. The firefighters punctured holes in his tires and pulled him out of the vehicle for public safety concerns.
Moitoza’s vehicle was equipped with an ignition interlock device (IID), a breathalyzer that prevents the engine from starting if alcohol is detected on the driver’s breath.
Moitoza was unable to perform any field sobriety tests. Officers found two cans of Klear Concepts Duster in Moitoza’s car, one empty and one full. During his booking officers noted that Moitoza appeared animated, was shaking, sweating profusely, speaking in a rapid manner, and was confused about what had transpired.
Witnesses told officers they saw Moitoza drive the wrong way on Wordsworth Street and strike a parked Toyota truck. Moitoza also struck a “no stopping” sign, knocked over a tree and damaged a residential metal fence.
Witnesses also saw Moitoza rear-end a Jeep Gladiator on Saratoga Street before fleeing the scene.
Moitoza has three OUI convictions in New Hampshire.
“This was a wild, and wildly dangerous, incident on busy East Boston streets at one of the busiest traffic times of the day. I’m thankful for the 911 calls from witnesses and the quick action by Boston firefighters to immobilize this defendant before he or anyone else got hurt,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications