Friends and neighbors say they can’t understand why anyone would be so violent, taking Stuart Smith’s life — calling him quite a guy who really helped people out.
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A man has died after being struck by an SUV Saturday morning in Brockton, Massachusetts, and police say the pedestrian crash wasn't an accident.
The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office announced Sunday that 50-year-old Stuart Smith succumbed to his injuries late Saturday night, more than 12 hours after he was allegedly intentionally struck by a vehicle. The man driving the SUV, identified as 45-year-old Vasco Semedo, is now facing a murder charge.
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According to officials, Brockton police received several 911 calls around 8:53 a.m. Saturday for reports of a pedestrian crash at 65 North Main Street. Responding officers found Smith unresponsive on the pavement in front of a Toyota Rav 4, and Semedo being detained by people at the scene.
Smith was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital. He died from his injuries at 10:34 p.m., officials said.
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A preliminary investigation involving witness accounts and surveillance footage led detectives to determine that Semedo was behind the wheel of the Rav 4 when he ran into Smith and then backed up and drove into him again. Next, Semedo allegedly got out of his SUV and used a brick to repeatedly hit Smith, who was laying on the ground.
Semedo was arrested on scene and initially charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. After Smith died, the charge was upgraded to murder.
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Police have not said if Semedo and Smith were known to each other, or provided any information on a possible motive.
Tara Manning tells NBC10 Boston that everyone knew Smith in the Brockton neighborhood.
“He didn’t probably do anything to deserve that, that’s awful,” she said. "He was a figure around here, I just can’t believe he had to go out that way, somebody was so mad that they killed him? Like that’s crazy.”
Janis Jefferson lived in the same rooming house as Smith.
“I think it was a rotten thing to do to Stewie,” Jefferson said. "He was quite a guy, he really helped a lot of people.”
Friends and neighbors tell us the 50-year-old collected scrap metal and was often seen piling it into a shopping cart so he could sell it.
“He wasn’t the kind of guy that would hurt anybody,” Jefferson added. “We all have to stick together and love one another where they’re at, and Stewie I cared a lot about that guy, when I heard about him, I cried.”
The neighborhood can’t understand why anyone would be so violent, taking Smith’s life.
Semedo is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Brockton District Court. Attorney information wasn't immediately available.
