BROCKTON — A Brockton man was arraigned on second-degree murder and drunk driving charges in the crash that claimed the life of 24-year-old Ashley Cardoso of Brockton and seriously injured another woman, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz said in a written statement.
Jose Lopes, 40, of Brockton, plead not guilty in Brockton Superior Court on Wednesday, March 27, to one count each of murder in the second degree, manslaughter by motor vehicle, motor vehicle homicide, drunk driving resulting in bodily injury, drunk driving and reckless driving, according to Cruz.
Lopes was indicted on Wednesday, March 27 by a Plymouth County grand jury and turned himself into the court that same morning, said Cruz.
Prosecutors requested bail be set at $250,000 with the conditions that Lopes be monitored by GPS, participate in alcohol screenings, surrender his passport, stay in Massachusetts, and have no contact with the victims, their families, and the witnesses, said Cruz. The judge set Lopes’ bail at $5,000 and adopted the prosecutors' conditions.
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What happened on night of crash?
The charges against Lopes follow an investigation into a two-car crash that occurred just after midnight on Pleasant Street in Brockton on May 28, 2023.
When emergency personnel arrived on scene, they located Lopes, who was driving a Honda, and two women who were occupants of a Nissan, all three of whom had sustained "serious injuries" and were transported to hospitals, the DA's office said. Cardoso, the passenger in the Nissan, died of her injuries. The driver of the Nissan was also seriously injured.
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Surveillance video of crash
As the result of an investigation police were able to locate several witnesses to the crash and obtained surveillance video of the moment of impact, the DA's office said.
The video shows the defendant driving at approximately 50 MPH in a "densely populated area," lose control of his vehicle, strike a curb and crash head-on into the Nissan, the DA's office said.
At the time of the crash, Lopes' blood alcohol content was .20, the DA's office said, which is more than twice the legal limit for driving of .08.
His next court appearance is scheduled for May 22.
Who was Ashley Cardoso?
Heartbroken loved ones of Ashley Cardoso spoke to The Enterprise about her in the days following the crash.
“She was my twin in many aspects. We motivated each other and kept each other accountable for our goals. We would have long convos, and I would listen to her wisdom and insight. She was such a sweet, gentle, positive soul. Ashley never had anything negative to say. She was always positive and had a positive outlook on life,” her cousin Joao Rodrigues said in early June 2023.
They grew up in a large family, and Cardoso was the youngest.
“She had big dreams, and one of them was to become a singer. Ashley even auditioned for a singing competition. She modeled for Macy’s fashion show at the age of 9. She loved being outside and being active. She was never afraid to play flag football with the boys. She had a lot of dreams for herself,” Rodrigues said.
Cardoso graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amhurst earning a science degree in public health. And one of her dreams was to return to school and become a physician assistant.
With reporting by Enterprise staff writer Alisha Saint-Ciel.
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