New Bedford Crash Victim Identified, Public’s Help Sought
NEW BEDFORD — Authorities are seeking the public’s assistance in obtaining more information about a fatal crash that occurred early Saturday morning in New Bedford and claimed the life of a 19-year-old city man.
The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office has identified the victim as Cameron Rodrigues.
According to the D.A.’s Office, troopers from the Dartmouth barracks responded at about 2:28 a.m. Saturday to a 911 call reporting a car in the woods next to the offramp from Route 140 northbound to Braley Road with the driver ejected.
First responders arrived to find Rodrigues lying in the middle of the roadway, having sustained mortal injuries, the D.A.’s Office said. He was pronounced dead at St. Luke’s Hospital at around 7 a.m. Saturday.
The D.A.’s Office said Rodrigues was driving his 2019 black Kia Optima along the off-ramp at the time of the crash, and that it appears the vehicle was traveling in the grass on the left side of the roadway and continued that path until it came to rest against a tree. The vehicle sustained heavy damage.
The investigation indicated Rodrigues was ejected from his vehicle after striking the tree, and that he landed in the middle of the roadway. “It is also believed that, sometime after the crash, an unknown vehicle traveled down the off-ramp and dragged the victim to the area where he was eventually found by a passing motorist,” the D.A.’s Office said.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash, was driving in the area around 2:30 a.m. or may have information about the unknown vehicle is asked to contact Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the D.A.’s Office at (508) 993-2016. The D.A.’s Office pointed out that police are only seeking to speak with the unknown motorist at this time.
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