Dartmouth teen facing homicide charge for fatal New Year’s hit-and-run in New Bedford

Crime

The 16-year-old is suspected of fatally striking a New Bedford woman following a New Year’s church gathering.

By Darin Zullo

January 4, 2026 | 9:21 AM

2 minutes to read

Prosecutors have identified a suspect in a New Bedford hit-and-run that claimed the life of a woman who was leaving a New Year’s church gathering.

A 16-year-old from Dartmouth has been charged with negligent motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene resulting in death, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. The suspect is expected to be arraigned Monday in New Bedford juvenile court.

Nicolasa Ventura Colaj, 33, of New Bedford, was killed just after midnight Jan. 1 when she was struck by an SUV, the DA’s office said in a statement Saturday. She was crossing the street as she and her family exited a church gathering at 1805 Acushnet Ave.

Colaj was “thrown a distance” by the impact, and the SUV fled the scene, prosecutors said. Emergency responders brought her to a nearby hospital, but she was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.

New Bedford police confirmed Friday that they had “identified, located, and seized” the vehicle that hit Colaj. The following day, they announced that the 16-year-old suspect was in custody.

“This was a thorough and relentless investigation carried out under extremely difficult circumstances,” New Bedford Police Chief Jason Thody said on Facebook. “While nothing can undo this tragic loss, we are committed to seeing this investigation through and ensuring Nicolasa’s family sees accountability and justice.”

Colaj was a Guatemalan immigrant who worked at a local fish house, and she leaves behind three children, according to The Boston Globe. Community members, including her husband, Antonio Colaj, 38, gathered Saturday in her honor outside her church, Iglesia Pentecostal Unida Latinoamericana.

Adrian Ventura, director of Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores (CCT), a nonprofit organization advocating for immigrant workers’ rights, started a fundraiser to cover Colaj’s funeral expenses. The New Bedford-based organization, of which Colaj was a member, is located just down the street from where she was killed.

Colaj’s church has also organized a fundraiser for a memorial and burial in Guatemala, with all funds going to her husband. As of Sunday morning, it has received more than 100 donations and raised nearly $9,000.

“When she entered a room she made everyone feel happy, she lightened up the mood always,” Andrea Lopez, the fundraiser’s organizer, wrote. “Nicolasa was always smiling and she was generous.”

New Bedford police and Massachusetts State Police are continuing to investigate the crash, according to prosecutors.