The driver accused of killing an Andover father and his 8-year-old daughter in a fatal crash faces a mental health hearing Friday, Oct. 2, in Woburn District Court.

Matthew Sweeney, 21, of Paxton, is charged with two counts of felony motor vehicle homicide, operating under the influence, negligent operation and speeding. The hearing will determine whether Sweeney undergoes further psychiatric evaluation, the Eagle-Tribune reported Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Sweeney pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday, Aug. 25. A judge ordered him held on $250,000 cash bail and sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for evaluation.

The crash

Samir Naili, 35, and his daughter Kashmira Naili were killed on the night of Saturday, Aug. 22, near the intersection of Main and North streets in North Reading. The crash happened at about 10:45 p.m. Kashmira was an incoming third grader at Andover's South Elementary School.

Prosecutors allege Sweeney was driving an Acura MDX at about 100 mph on Route 28 when he struck the Nailis' Honda HR-V, which was stopped at a red light. The impact caused the Honda to burst into flames. First responders and a bystander tried to rescue the occupants, but both died at the scene.

Police said they had been attempting to stop Sweeney after observing him traveling at approximately 100 mph before the collision. Officers found two open alcoholic beverage containers and a cup that smelled of alcohol in Sweeney's vehicle, according to Andover MA News.

Sweeney refused field sobriety tests, police said.

The Acura was also the subject of a Massachusetts State Police be-on-the-lookout notification after a hit-and-run in Methuen, according to a North Reading police report obtained by WCVB.

Psychiatric history

At the Aug. 25 arraignment, defense attorney Kevin Mahoney told the court Sweeney has a history of "lost time and blackouts" and had no memory of the crash. Mahoney said Sweeney's mother had him hospitalized at UMass Memorial in Marlborough in 2024, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Sweeney was hospitalized again at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester in December 2025 and prescribed medication for psychosis, but stopped taking it because he believed it was causing chest pain, Mahoney said. A clinician who evaluated Sweeney at the courthouse recommended further evaluation, leading to the Bridgewater State Hospital order.

Family speaks

Outside the courthouse on Aug. 25, Samir Naili's mother, Liz Powell-Naili, called for accountability.

"He took away the love of my life. My son — my only son — and my only granddaughter. And I'm not going to see them anymore," she told reporters.

The Oct. 2 hearing in Woburn District Court will determine whether Sweeney undergoes further psychiatric evaluation.