Brockton, Massachusetts – Vasco Semedo faced a judge during his arraignment, wearing handcuffs and listening through an interpreter as prosecutors detailed a violent attack on pedestrian Stuart Smith, 50, leading to his tragic death.
The Plymouth County District Attorney, Tim Cruz, described the incident as a gruesome and intentional act of violence. Surveillance footage captured both the collision with the pedestrian and the subsequent brick attack. Semedo allegedly accelerated his SUV, striking Smith intentionally before assaulting him with a brick.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague revealed in court that Semedo hit Smith twice with his blue Toyota RAV4 before exiting the vehicle and launching a brutal attack. Bystanders intervened to stop the assault, with witnesses holding Semedo on the scene until police arrived.
Upon police arrival, Semedo was arrested at the scene and taken into custody for questioning. During interviews, Semedo provided conflicting accounts of the incident, initially claiming it was an accident before eventually admitting to intentionally hitting Smith.
Neighbors found Smith unresponsive on the pavement in front of Semedo’s damaged vehicle. Surveillance footage showed the sequence of events leading to the fatal injuries suffered by Smith, with Semedo allegedly striking him intentionally with his car.
Prosecutors noted that Semedo, a native of Cape Verde, had been lawfully residing in the United States for about two years and did not have a prior criminal record. The incident marks the latest fatal pedestrian crash involving apparent road rage in Massachusetts.
The tragic death of Smith adds to a recent string of similar incidents in the state, including the death of 26-year-old Destini Decoff in a separate road rage incident. Semedo is scheduled to appear in court on May 14 for further proceedings in this ongoing case.
As more information becomes available, this story will continue to develop. Stay tuned for updates on this case.