Brockton, Massachusetts – Vasco Semedo faced a judge in handcuffs during his arraignment on Monday, following a violent incident that resulted in the death of pedestrian Stuart Smith, 50. Prosecutors revealed in court that Semedo struck Smith twice with his SUV before viciously attacking him with a brick on North Main Street on Saturday morning.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague described the events, stating that Semedo drove his blue Toyota RAV4 into Smith intentionally, causing the victim severe injuries. Surveillance footage captured both the initial collision and the subsequent brick attack. Witnesses reported that Semedo relentlessly assaulted Smith while he was on the ground until bystanders intervened to restrain him.
At around 8:52 a.m. on Saturday, police received reports of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian at 65 North Main St. Witnesses identified Semedo as the driver of the SUV involved in the incident. Following his arrest at the scene, Semedo provided conflicting narratives to police about what had occurred, initially claiming it was an accident.
During his interaction with law enforcement, Semedo displayed signs of erratic behavior, including changing his account multiple times. The presence of blood on his clothing and hands raised suspicions, with Semedo eventually admitting that the blood belonged to the person he had struck with his vehicle.
The disturbing surveillance footage revealed Semedo’s deliberate actions leading to Smith’s tragic death. The incident has sparked concerns over pedestrian safety and instances of road rage in Massachusetts, with another recent fatal accident involving road rage resulting in the death of 26-year-old Destini Decoff.
As the case unfolds, prosecutors are continuing their investigation into Semedo’s background and motive for the brutal attack. Semedo is scheduled to appear in court again on May 14 as authorities work to determine the full extent of his involvement in the tragic events that transpired on that fateful Saturday morning.