January 20, 2026 – Springfield, Massachusetts – Hampden District Attorney Anthony D.Gulluni announced that the Hampden District Attorney’s Office responded to 83 motor vehicle homicide callouts in 2025, reflecting the continued and serious impact of fatal and life-altering crashes across Hampden County.

The Motor Vehicle Homicide (MVH) Unit is a dedicated unit within the Hampden District Attorney’s Office, comprised of seven Assistant District Attorneys who specialize in investigating and prosecuting serious motor vehicle incidents. When a crash appears likely to result in serious injury or death, an Assistant District Attorney from the MVH Unit responds alongside investigators to the scene. ADAs work closely with law enforcement from the earliest stages of the investigation, assessing the circumstances of the crash and coordinating with detectives.

Of the 83 callouts in 2025, 52 were fatal crashes, resulting in 55 total deaths.

By comparison, the MVH Unit responded to:

• 68 callouts in 2024
• 82 callouts in 2023
• 83 callouts in 2022
• 79 callouts in 2021

“Behind every one of these cases is a family whose life has been forever altered,” District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni said. “I am deeply grateful to the Assistant District Attorneys in our Motor Vehicle Homicide Unit who respond at all hours, work closely with investigators from the earliest moments, and handle these cases with the care, professionalism, and dedication they demand.”

In addition to its prosecutorial work, the Hampden District Attorney’s Office places a strong emphasis on prevention and education, particularly among young drivers.

On Thursday, April 2, the office will host its annual Stop the Swerve program at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The program is designed to educate teens and their families about the responsibility and privilege of holding a driver’s license, as well as the dangers of distracted and impaired driving.

The event begins with a video presentation highlighting a real-life case from within the past decade involving distracted or impaired driving. Attendees then hear directly from an Assistant District Attorney from the MVH Unit, who discusses the unit’s work and the real-world consequences seen in these cases.

Following the presentation, teens and their families move to the basketball court area, where they participate in a series of interactive stations. Activities include operating pedal carts while wearing impairment-simulation goggles, attempting standardized field sobriety tasks with police officers, and hands-on demonstrations that illustrate how quickly seconds pass when a driver looks at a phone — and how devastating the consequences of those seconds can be.

Attendees who are of driving age will be entered into a raffle for a free driver’s education course required for licensure in Massachusetts.

The Stop the Swerve program is also available to schools throughout Hampden County at no cost, allowing students to receive this education directly in their classrooms. To request a presentation, reach out to Deputy Director of Community Safety and Outreach Gina Anselmo at gina.anselmo@mass.gov.

The Hampden District Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding offenders accountable while continuing to educate the community in an effort to prevent future tragedies.