A routine early-morning delivery in Malden, Massachusetts, nearly turned into a tragedy when a truck sped off the road and crashed into a tree just feet from a delivery driver standing on a home’s front porch.
The crash happened around 5:40 a.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Fellsway East and Maple Street, according to Massachusetts State Police. Dashcam footage captured the frightening moment the truck veered toward the property, narrowly missing Ricardo Furtado, who had just begun his first delivery of the day.
Furtado had stepped out of his vehicle and walked toward the front door when he suddenly heard a loud noise behind him. Within seconds, the truck came crashing into a tree in the front yard.
The impact left him shaken, but he escaped without being struck.
Delivery Driver Had Little Time to React
Furtado said he was approaching the home’s front door when he heard something coming from behind him.
“As soon as I got to his front door, I look back and I heard a loud noise,” he recalled. “And it was just flying back behind me.”
The truck slammed into a tree that stood between the vehicle and the nearby house. Furtado was only about an arm’s length away from the crash, leaving him with almost no time to move out of danger.
In the immediate aftermath, he struggled to process how close he had come to being seriously injured.
“I was a little bit like in shock the first minute,” Furtado said. “The first thing on my mind was that I was lucky. Oh my God, I was lucky.”
The delivery driver said he went to check on the two people who had been inside the truck. He saw them open the doors and begin walking away from the wreckage.
Although the crash could have ended much worse, the incident left Furtado shaken by how quickly an ordinary workday had turned dangerous.
“I am not a very religious guy, but I actually prayed today,” he said. “I am a little bit shaken up.”
Homeowners Say the Road Has Seen Repeated Crashes
For people living along Fellsway East, the crash was another troubling incident on a stretch of road they say has been dangerous for years.
One homeowner whose property is near the crash site told local television reporters that this was the sixth incident they had witnessed during nearly three decades in the neighborhood.
The resident said the tree struck by the truck had been hit before and recalled other serious incidents, including a vehicle flipping near the house and wheels flying from a crashing car.
“It’s very dangerous,” the homeowner said.
The repeated incidents have raised concerns about the risks faced by residents, pedestrians and people making deliveries along the road.
For delivery workers, the danger can be especially unpredictable. Drivers regularly stop near homes, step out of their vehicles and walk along driveways or sidewalks, often while traffic continues moving nearby.
A crash that happens just a few feet away can leave little opportunity to react, particularly in the early morning when visibility may be reduced.
Police Search for Driver After Crash
Massachusetts State Police responded to the scene after receiving a report of the collision at approximately 5:40 a.m.
Troopers found an injured passenger inside the vehicle, according to police. Authorities were still searching for the driver following the crash.
Investigators also reported that the truck had no license plates and may have been stolen. The vehicle’s ownership and the circumstances surrounding the driver’s departure remained under investigation based on the available information.
The absence of license plates could make identifying the truck more difficult, potentially requiring investigators to examine other identifying details, vehicle records and evidence collected at the scene.
Police had not established a confirmed explanation for why the truck left the roadway in the information provided. It was also unclear what caused the driver to leave after the collision.
The passenger’s injuries and the events immediately before the crash remain important parts of the investigation.
Dashcam Footage Shows How Quickly Things Changed
Furtado’s dashboard cameras captured the incident, providing a visual record of the truck’s movement and the moments surrounding the impact.
Dashcam footage can help investigators reconstruct a collision by documenting vehicle movements, road conditions and the sequence of events. Depending on the recording, it may also help authorities identify details that witnesses did not have time to notice.
In this case, the footage also illustrates how close Furtado came to being hit while carrying out a routine delivery.
The driver had no apparent warning that a truck was about to leave the road and strike the tree behind him. His attention was on completing his delivery when the sound of the approaching vehicle alerted him to the danger.
For anyone working outdoors near moving traffic, the incident is a reminder of how unpredictable roadside hazards can be.
A Close Call That Could Have Ended Differently
Furtado walked away from the incident, but the experience stayed with him. What should have been an ordinary first stop of the morning became a frightening reminder of how quickly circumstances can change.
The crash also left nearby residents questioning how many more incidents the neighborhood might experience before additional safety measures are considered.
Investigators will need to determine what caused the truck to crash, identify the driver and establish the circumstances surrounding the passenger’s injuries.
For now, the most striking detail remains the narrow escape: a delivery driver standing at a front door, a truck hurtling toward a tree, and only a few feet separating a routine morning from a potentially fatal accident.
