A Massachusetts man, who is facing several charges in connection with a fatal crash in Brockton over the weekend, was ordered held without bail on Thursday.
Robert Kilday, 22, of West Bridgewater, was arrested by state police Wednesday on charges of motor vehicle manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide by operating under the influence, and reckless operation, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's office.
Authorities said the charges are connected to a crash that killed 54-year-old Jorge Leite on Friday evening.
Leite leaves behind his wife of 24 years and their three adopted children.
"Daddy would do literally anything for us, no matter what," said Alyssa Leite, the victim's 10-year-old daughter.
"I miss him so much, life's different now," said Nevaeh Leite, the victim's 15-year-old daughter. "He was the best dad anyone could ever ask for."
His wife, Teresa Leite, is also trying to make sense of the senseless, saying that he was a great father to his children.
"If they wanted something special, he usually found a way to get it," she said.
And she is thankful that a suspect has been taken into custody.
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“It bothered me that there weren’t any charges filed, and so it helps me that there are now," Teresa said. "And today we’re going to go to Jorge’s wake, and I can go there with a lighter heart.”
Police arrived to the area of 536 East St. just before 7:30 p.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls for a crash.
Upon arrival police found a blue Ford F-150 truck driven by Kilday and a red Saturn sedan driven by Leite. The crash allegedly happened as Kilday was pulling into the driveway of his East Street home.
Authorities said Leite had to be extricated from his car before being taken to Brockton Hospital. He was then taken to Beth Israel Hospital where he died from his injuries early Saturday morning.
Kilday was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
Following an investigation by state police detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office, Kilday was taken into custody.
According to authorities, the defendant's blood alcohol was nearly two times the legal level. Traces of cocaine, opioids, and marijuana were also allegedly found in Kilday's system.
"That mixture, those sort of cocktail mixtures, are very dangerous," said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.
At his arraignment Thursday, Leite pleaded not guilty and was held without bail.
"The defendant said, quote-unquote, 'I was being a (expletive) idiot!'" said Assistant District Attorney Brian Fahey. "He was driving fast when he saw the victim's car. He tried to get around it but couldn't."
He will be back in Brockton District Court later this month for a dangerousness hearing.
