Boston woman killed in road rage attack, devastated mother hopes driver 'burns directly in hell!'



A 26-year-old Boston woman was allegedly killed in an intentional road rage attack, according to reports. The devastated mother of the slain woman hopes the alleged driver involved in the fatal incident "burns directly in hell!"

According to a preliminary investigation by the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, Ryan Sweatt "became engaged in an apparent road rage incident with another vehicle" on Thursday night while driving on Route 85 in Hopkinton — a suburb of Boston.

At some point, the occupants of the other vehicle exited the car, including Destini Decoff. Authorities say that Sweatt "subsequently made a U-turn at a high rate of speed and struck the victim in the roadway" with his Honda Civic.

Witness Brett Martin told WBZ-TV, "He chose to turn around, chose to come back. He knew what he was doing when he went towards that girl."

"We could tell there was a little road rage going on," Martin alleged.

Martin said, "I saw her mid-air kind of coming down towards the street...her jacket must've been 20 feet away from her. However, she got hit, those clothes flew off."

The prosecutor said Sweatt slammed into Decoff, "knocking her several feet into the air."

Decoff was rushed to the hospital after experiencing injuries “head to toe,” according to her mother. She suffered a brain bleed; collapsed lungs; internal bleeding; and broken shoulders, ribs and tibia.

The New York Post reported, "After spending the night in surgery to remove a portion of her skull to relieve the pressure on her brain and cut out her spleen, Decoff was placed on a ventilator. She died without ever regaining consciousness."

Decoff succumbed to her injuries and died on Sunday.

Sweatt reportedly drove away but said he made the conscious decision to turn around.

However, a prosecutor told the court that a police officer witnessed Sweatt speeding away from the apparent crime scene.

According to Sweatt, the driver of the other vehicle slammed on the brakes while in front of him.

Sweatt, 36, claimed that the individuals in the other vehicle threatened to kill him, and one allegedly pulled a knife on him.

An officer claimed that when Sweatt was pulled over by police, he yelled, "They’re trying to kill me!"

Sweatt, of Milford, was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, operating to endanger, and a marked lanes violation.

Before her daughter's death, Decoff's mother blasted the driver for the alleged road rage attack.

While her young daughter was on life support, Tracy Decoff wrote on Facebook, "With every ounce of my being I hope that mf burns directly in hell!"

After Destini died, the grieving mother wrote: "Today my biggest fear as a mother became my reality. My first born child & best friend is no longer with me."

Sweatt was jailed without bail.

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Video: Man accused of snapping off arms of Jesus on 150-year-old statue in Boston, cursing out priest



A Massachusetts man is facing charges related to allegations of snapping off the arms of a 150-year-old Jesus statue at a cathedral in Boston.

Around 6:14 p.m. on Tuesday, Michael Patzelt climbed up the cross in front of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, according to police. Video reportedly shows Patzelt grabbing onto the Jesus statue on the crucifix.

Footage from the crime scene allegedly shows Patzelt swinging repeatedly on the Jesus statue and breaking off both of the arms.

A prosecutor explained, "Boston police received a radio call for a person who was hanging on the cross at 1400 Washington Street. ... The person was seen climbing, hanging, and swinging on the cross. He caused significant damage to the cross."

Witness Samuel Copans said, "He was just swearing, saying he could do what he wanted to do. After the priest came out, he said pretty vulgar things to the priest."

Patzelt is also accused of assaulting a woman who was shopping in the area with her child.

Tashana Watson told WFXT, "I pushed him."

“I pushed him like four times to get him away. And then he grabbed my hair and my hat and threw it. Then he tried to have a conversation, something to the effect of, 'Just shoot me.'"

"It's sad, it's an historic landmark. I'm a parishioner, my grandmother went here," Watson added. "The attack makes you feel anything can be open for attack."

The Archdiocese of Boston issued a statement:

We appreciate the swift action by the Boston Police Department in apprehending a suspect. Whatever motivated this person to damage the crucifix, we know it can be repaired and continue to be a source of prayer and hope for the faithful and all those who find comfort in the Lord. We ask that people pray for the individual and for peace in his heart.

Patzelt reportedly caused $20,000 worth of damage to the crucifix that was built some 150 years ago. Crews had already started to repair the vandalized statue at the cathedral in Boston's South End neighborhood.

Michael Patzelt, a 37-year-old of Attleboro, has been charged with malicious destruction of property, assault and battery, and injury to a church/synagogue over $5,000.

The judge wanted to know if mental illness played a role in the church attack.

Judge Paul Treseler said of Patzelt, "Counsel, is this an issue of a depraved heart or a very sick mind?"

Patzelt has a lengthy rap sheet.

"I'm looking at his record and I see a man who has seven pages of committed time. ... And then I go and I look at a 10-page Florida record, and it’s full of similar charges to what we’re seeing here today," the judge said during the hearing.

Patzelt's lawyer said his client is "remorseful."

Patzelt is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 30.

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'Terrifying incident': Boston man accused of posing as Uber driver, raping woman in car



A Massachusetts man has been arrested after allegedly posing as an Uber driver, picking up a woman leaving a Boston nightclub, and then raping her in his car.

The woman ordered an Uber ride around 2:15 a.m. on Saturday. The 32-year-old woman entered a car that she believed was with the ridesharing service. Police later determined that Qabel Najeeb was the driver.

Police said the fake Uber driver drove the woman from the Bijou Nightclub to a nearby alley in Boston.

NBC Boston reported, "The woman told police Najeeb drove her past Boston Common and came to a stop near Storrow Drive. She said she remembers seeing the back of brownstone apartments as he put a T-shirt over the window and raped her."

The woman told police that she was too afraid to move during the sexual assault.

The driver dropped off the victim on a street and drove off after allegedly committing the sex crime.

Police said they have surveillance video of the woman getting into a blue Toyota Corolla. After an investigation, police linked the Corolla to Qabel Najeeb.

Najeeb, of Worcester, was arrested late Sunday night, and he was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on Monday. Najeeb was charged with rape. The 29-year-old suspect is being held on $10,000 bail.

"This is a terrifying incident involving a woman who entered a vehicle with the full understanding that she was going to be delivered home in safety and a driver who took advantage of the victim and the situation," the office of Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement. "This is the beginning of the process of seeking justice, and we will stay beside this victim during and after this difficult time."

Casey Corcoran – a director at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center – advised, "Of course we want people to be safe. Check in with friends. Check the license plate, of course. But that's never going to stop every incident. What we need to do is try to stop sexual violence before it happens, to provide education and change policies."

Najeeb is scheduled to appear in Boston Municipal Court Central Division on Nov. 15 for his probable cause hearing.

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'He's a predator': 85 women file class action lawsuit against Boston doctor over allegations of 'deplorable' sexual assaults



More than 85 women have filed a class action lawsuit against a Boston doctor over allegations of repeated sexual assaults.

Dr. Derrick Todd faces three separate lawsuits – including a class action suit launched by over 85 women.

WBZ-4 reported, "The number of women joining the third lawsuit stands at more than 85 and is expected to rise further, the plaintiffs' attorney told CBS News on Thursday afternoon."

Todd is a prominent rheumatologist, who was previously employed at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital before the damning accusations.

The dozens of women accused Todd of repeated sexual assaults stemming from unnecessary exams that were "performed for his own sexual gratification," according to the class action lawsuit filed in Suffolk County Superior Court. The lawsuit notes that "these horrifying, traumatizing, and deplorable acts" took place "from at least as far back as 2011 and continuing through July 2023."

The alleged victims allege in the lawsuit that Dr. Todd performed "inappropriate pelvic examinations, breast examinations, and rectal examinations."

Mimi DiTrani – a former patient who filed a lawsuit against Todd – told CBS Boston that the rheumatologist opted for repeated gynecological exams and breast exams instead of conducting MRIs on her bones for her autoimmune rheumatological health issues.

"Her lawsuit, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges Todd asked her a series of 'inappropriate, invasive, and exploitative questions' about her appearance and sexual history," according to the Boston Globe. "Todd often examined DiTrani without a chaperone present, and frequently texted her at all hours of the day, according to the suit."

The suit states that during follow-up appointments Todd asked her "inappropriate sexual questions, made sexualized comments, performed sexualized breast examinations, and performed sexualized gynecological examinations that included digital penetration, all under the guise of medical treatment."

DiTraini accused hospitals for missing "warning signs" about Todd's alleged misconduct, and sued Brigham and Women’s, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Mass General Brigham Community Physicians Inc., and Charles River Medical Associates.

The lawsuit accuses the hospital systems of allowing Todd's alleged sexual abuse to occur while failing their duty to "hire, supervise, manage, oversee, and retain competent medical providers who refrained from assault and inappropriate examinations of patients."

After learning of the sexual assault accusations, Brigham & Women's Hospital placed Todd on administrative leave while the hospital investigated the allegations. Todd left the hospital on July 31. The hospital notified his former patients, the Department of Public Health, and the Board of Registration in Medicine.

Lubin & Meyer attorney Robert Higgins told CBS Boston, "This is criminal. He's a predator. It's no different than somebody sexually assaulting someone after a bar."

Todd's attorney, Ingrid S. Martin, said the doctor has been "fully cooperative" with all investigations and that "these allegations will be proven to be without merit."

The case files have been sealed pending a hearing on Oct. 17.

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Juveniles — one as young as 12 — violently assault woman in Boston after calling her a 'white b***h with braids'



Five juveniles in Boston, Massachusetts, have been arrested and charged for violently assaulting a 20-year-old woman near the city's Downtown Crossing Monday afternoon.

The broad daylight beatdown came as authorities continue to report soaring crime in the area, especially among juveniles. In fact, according to WCVB-TV, police were already responding to an assault and battery at a nearby Macy's when they received calls about a huge street fight involving roughly 20 teenagers.

When police arrived on the scene, they found the mob of teenagers kicking and punching a woman while she was on the ground. The victim, who sustained a head injury and "appeared to be in distress and highly animated," later told officers that she was attacked because of her hair.

According to a police report seen by Mass Live, the woman told officers that she had been standing at the intersection of Winter Street and Washington Street when a group of girls approached her and demeaned her as a "white bitch with braids."

She reportedly told the group that she identifies as Hispanic and started to walk away. But moments later, one of the teens chased after her and pulled her down by her hair. Several others then allegedly joined in on the attack.

Part of the assault was caught on cellphone video. It shows at least five individuals surrounding the unidentified woman and kicking her as she tries to defend herself.

New video shows juveniles brutally attacking woman in Boston's Downtown Crossing www.youtube.com

Witnesses of the attack said it came out of nowhere.

"She came flying in on her bike around here, and just 15 of them chasing her and beating the crap out of the girl. All of them," Chris Jackson, who works in the area, said in an interview with WCVB. "They took off with her bag, her cellphone, whatever else they had that she had dropped. She got up and had no idea what was going on."

"It was baffling, honestly. It was incredible to see that because I've never seen any type of thing like that in my life, ever," Julie Mendez, who manages the nearby City Smoke Shop, added. "They were trying to take her bags, so I was trying to grab them so they wouldn't take her bags. It was just insane."

Following the attack, the victim was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for further evaluation and is expected to fully recover.

Police reportedly identified and arrested five suspects — four females and one male — using the video. All five of the suspects are under the age of 15, and one is as young as 12, according to police.

The male suspect reportedly spit at police while he was being arrested. Meanwhile, another suspect punched an officer and yet another suspect pulled a female officer's hair out of her braid and knocked her glasses off during her arrest.

In the police report, officers note that the Downtown Crossing area has been the scene of a "barrage of juvenile incidents" in recent weeks and months. Teenagers have reportedly been fighting on the streets, smashing store windows, and assaulting officers and other members of the public.

Just last month, a group of four teenagers assaulted an 81-year-old man at a McDonald's on Washington street. Other juveniles reportedly smashed windows along Silvertone Bar and Grill’s storefront.

Ibraham Ibraham, the owner of Black Seed Café & Grill, told WCVB his restaurant was also the scene of a recent fight among juveniles.

"We called the cops and the cops separated them. Then they kept fighting, even when the cop were there," he said, complaining, "I'm losing business, so I hope they can do something about it."