FAIRHAVEN — Five people are being charged criminally in connection with a brawl that left a woman dead, but police said none are charged with manslaughter.
About 20 people were involved in the May 6 brawl at the Fairhaven Town Beach on West Island. The melee led to the death of Sheri Calheta, 22, of New Bedford, who was struck by a Dodge Dakota pickup truck.
Police said Shane Velez, 17, of New Bedford, is charged with four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of malicious destruction of a motor vehicle. Kristopher Dries, 18, of New Bedford, is charged with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and one count of malicious destruction of property.
Nicole Blouin, 26, of Dartmouth, and Christopher Simas, 20, of New Bedford, are charged with assault and battery, while Marco Victoria, 21, of New Bedford, is charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, police said.
Mr. Velez and Mr. Dries were jumping on the truck during the brawl and collapsed its windshield, Fairhaven Police Chief Gary F. Souza told The Standard-Times on Monday.
Chief Souza said police and the Bristol County District Attorney's Office have determined that Mr. Victoria, who they say was the driver of the pickup, was fleeing from "imminent bodily harm" and accidently struck and killed Ms. Calheta.
"We determined the driver of the truck had no culpability in the death," Chief Souza said. "It was the two who jumped up and down on the truck who precipitated the incident."
Greg Miliote, director of communications for District Attorney Sam Sutter, said Monday, "It was determined that no one should be charged with manslaughter or murder." He said Ms. Blouin, Mr. Simas and Mr. Victoria will be summoned to court and arraigned at a later date.
Mr. Velez was arrested on a warrant in New Bedford on an unrelated matter, and Mr. Dries was arrested Thursday on these charges, Mr. Miliote said.
Officers responded to the Fairhaven town beach parking lot at about 1:40 a.m. May 6. They found Ms. Calheta, of 945 Brock Ave., lying on the ground, suffering from a serious head injury.
She was transported to St. Luke's Hospital and pronounced dead.
Two groups of people took part in the brawl, police said. Approximately a dozen people were in the vicinity, some bleeding and injured.
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