Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
BROCKTON – A Brockton man has been arraigned on charges he was under the influence of alcohol and behind the wheel when he killed a woman, and seriously injured another, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Today, Jose Lopes, 40, pleaded not guilty in Brockton Superior Court to one count each of Murder in the Second Degree, Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle, Motor Vehicle Homicide, Operating Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor Resulting in Bodily Injury, Operating Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor, and Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle. The Commonwealth requested that Lopes be held on $250,000 bail with the conditions that he be monitored by GPS, participate in alcohol screens, surrender his passport, stay in Massachusetts, and have no contact with the victims, their families, and the witnesses. Judge Daniel J. O’Shea set bail at $5,000, and adopted the Commonwealth’s conditions.
The charges follow an investigation into a two-car collision that occurred on May 28, 2023, just after midnight on Pleasant Street in Brockton. Upon arrival, Brockton Police and emergency personnel located two female victims who had been traveling in a Nissan, and Lopes, who was driving a Honda. All three individuals were suffering from serious injuries, and were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Ashley Cardoso, 24, who was a passenger in the Nissan, died as a result of her injuries.
Brockton Police contacted Massachusetts State Police, and an investigation commenced. As a result, police were able to identify a number of witnesses to the crash, and obtained video surveillance which shows the impact of the two motor vehicles. The video shows Lopes, driving his Honda at approximately 50 mph in a densely populated area, lose control of his motor vehicle, strike a curb and crash head-on into the Nissan, killing Cardoso, and seriously injuring the operator. At the time of the crash, Lopes’ Blood Alcohol Content was .20.
Yesterday, a Plymouth County grand jury indicted Lopes on the charges, and a warrant issued for Lopes’ arrest. He turned himself into the court this morning.
Lopes is next scheduled to appear in court on May 22.
Assistant District Attorneys Samantha Mullin and Jason Herron are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by Massachusetts State Police and Brockton Police.