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Massachusetts man charged after woman dies in apparent driving aggression incident

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A Massachusetts man accused of fatally striking a woman with his car in an alleged incident of driving aggression in Hopkinton earlier this year remains held without bail. Ryan Sweatt, 36, has been charged with premeditated murder, multiple counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and dangerous driving in connection with the April 4 death of 26-year-old Destini Decoff of Milford. Sweatt was driving a Honda Civic on Route 85 in Hopkinton when he collided with another vehicle as a result of an apparent fit of rage, police said. At one point, some of the occupants of the other vehicle, including Decoff, exited the car. Sweatt then made a U-turn at a high rate of speed and struck the victim in the roadway, police said. “The vehicle veered to the right and struck Decoff with the metal front of the vehicle, which was propelled through the air and the roadway,” District Attorney Christopher Tarrant said. Sweatt’s attorney argued he did not intentionally hit the victim. He told police he was terrified and believed the others in the car were armed with knives. “We’re looking at this case as an unfortunate accident, not a case of road rage, and hopefully the facts will come out in the trial that prove that,” defense attorney Derege Demissie said. Decoff’s family, who wore T-shirts with the woman’s face in court Tuesday, are still struggling with the loss. “The whole thing breaks my heart,” Decoff’s grandmother said. “She was caring and loving, very kind, good with kids, everything.” “She was a great person, she was very caring and opened her home to people who had no place to stay, fed them and took care of a lot of people,” her grandfather said. “This guy was an animal.” In April, a fight broke out between Decoff and Sweatt’s families in the courthouse hallway after his arraignment. There were no serious injuries, no arrests were made and no charges were filed. Sweatt was initially charged with assault with a dangerous weapon causing great bodily injury, dangerous driving and failure to obey lane markings. Those charges were upgraded after Decoff’s death. Anyone with information is asked to call Sergeant Gregg DeBoer of the Hopkinton Police Department at 508-497-3401.

A Massachusetts man accused of fatally striking a woman with his car in an alleged driving aggression incident in Hopkinton earlier this year remains held without bail.

Ryan Sweatt, 36, has been charged with first-degree murder, multiple counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and dangerous driving in connection with the death of 26-year-old Destini Decoff of Milford on April 4.

Sweatt was driving a Honda Civic on Route 85 in Hopkinton when he apparently became angry during a fit of rage toward another vehicle, police said.

At some point, some of the occupants of the other vehicle, including Decoff, left the car.

Sweatt then made a U-turn at high speed and hit the victim on the street, police said.

“It turned right and struck Decoff with the metal front of the vehicle, throwing her into the air and onto the road,” said prosecutor Christopher Tarrant.

Sweatt’s attorney argued that he did not intentionally hit the victim. He told police he was terrified and believed the others in the car were armed with knives.

“We view this case as an unfortunate accident and not a case of road rage, and hopefully the facts will come to light during the trial to prove this,” said defense attorney Derege Demissie.

Decoff’s family, who wore T-shirts with the woman’s face in court on Tuesday, are still struggling with the loss.

“The whole thing breaks my heart,” said Decoff’s grandmother. “She was caring and loving, very kind, good with children, everything.”

“She was a great person, she was very caring and opened her home to people who had no place to stay, fed them and took care of a lot of people,” her grandfather said. “That guy was an animal.”

In April, after his arraignment, a fight broke out between Decoff and Sweatt’s families in the courthouse hallway. There were no serious injuries, no arrests were made, and no charges were filed.

Sweatt was initially charged with assault with a dangerous weapon causing great bodily harm, dangerous driving and failure to obey lane markings. Those charges were upgraded after Decoff’s death.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Sergeant Gregg DeBoer of the Hopkinton Police Department at 508-497-3401.

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