Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A man is scheduled to be arraigned on a murder charge after he allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian in Brockton yesterday, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
At approximately 8:53 a.m. yesterday, Brockton Police received several 911 calls for reports of a motor vehicle versus pedestrian crash at 65 North Main Street. Upon arrival, Brockton Police located the operator of the motor vehicle, Vasco Semedo, 45, of Brockton, being detained by people at the scene. Police located the male victim, unresponsive on the pavement in front of the motor vehicle. He was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital before being medflighted to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased of his injuries last night at 10:34 p.m. He has been identified as 50 year-old Stuart Smith.
Semedo was arrested on scene and Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and an investigation commenced. Through witness accounts and surveillance video footage, investigators found that Semedo, operating a Toyota Rav 4, struck Smith with his motor vehicle, backed up, drove into the victim again, before exiting the vehicle and repeatedly striking Smith with a brick as he lay on the ground. As a result, Semedo was placed under arrest, and charged with Murder. Semedo will be arraigned on the charge at some point tomorrow in Brockton District Court. The investigation is ongoing, at this time.