( CNN ) -- In a potential landmark case , a Massachusetts teenager is on trial this week after prosecutors say his texting while driving caused a crash that led to the death of a 55-year-old man . Aaron Deveau 's trial got underway Tuesday in Haverhill , with opening statements and the prosecution beginning to present its case . The first few days of the trial included testimony by the victim 's family and a crash survivor , the replaying of Deveau 's original interview with police and a visit to the crash site , as the defendant looked on from afar . Almost exactly one year earlier , the then-17-year-old Deveau pleaded not guilty to a host of charges tied to the fatal February 20 , 2011 , crash , the Essex County District Attorney 's office said in a press release at the time . Those charges were motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation , negligent operation of a motor vehicle , being an operator under 18 using a mobile phone , being an operator reading or sending an electronic message , a marked lanes violation and two counts of negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use . Some 38 states ban text messaging for all drivers while 31 prohibit all cell phone use by `` novice drivers , '' according to the Governors Highway Safety Association . Yet Deveau 's case is thought to be unique , in that his texting is being linked to another person 's death . Prosecutors allege that Deveau was texting when his car crossed the center line and hit a vehicle being driven by Donald Bowley , a resident of Danville , New Hampshire . Bowley 's girlfriend , Luz Roman , was in his car with him and suffered serious injuries . Haverhill Detective Thomas Howell testified this week that the two `` were almost folded into the floorboards , '' the impact was so severe . Bowley died March 10 , after he was taken off life support . `` My brother received such head trauma that ... there was no hope for him , '' Bowley 's sister , Donna Burleigh , said this week in court . According to reports from several CNN affiliates , prosecutors claim that Deveau received and sent a total of 193 text messages on the day of the crash , including several around the time the accident occurred . During her opening remarks , Assistant District Attorney Ashlee Logan suggested that Deveau may have erased some of his texts or fibbed to police after the accident . `` He states the last message that he received was at 2:33 ( p.m. ) , and then shows the officer the next message is at 3:10 , '' Logan said . `` When records were received , it 's learned : there are two ( texts ) missing . '' Deveau said after the crash in a taped interview with police , which was played in court this week , `` I was tired . I was distracted . When I looked away for one quick second , I came too close to her and I was trying to hit my brakes . '' His defense lawyer claimed authorities set out from the beginning to link texting to the crash , a cause-and-effect relationship that he contends is not valid . Joseph Lussier , the attorney , furthermore urged jurors not to let the sad , gruesome nature of the crash and its effect on its victims cloud their determination as to whether Deveau 's texting was to blame . `` Please do n't listen to the sympathies of the commonwealth when you 're making your decision , '' Lussier said .
The trial of Aaron Brown , now 18 , began this week in Cambridge , Massachusetts . Police believe he was texting before a fatal crash , then deleted some of the texts . The defense argues police had an agenda in trying to link texting with the crash . The teen had told police after the crash , ` ` I was tired , I was distracted ''