DUQUE DE CAXIAS, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – MAY 24, 2024 Attempted armed robbery occurred at around 4:20 a.m. on the Linha Vermelha expressway near Parque das Missões. Twenty-seven-year-old Diego Rodrigues lost his life in the incident after the driver of a truck ran over the motorcycle he was riding on with his accomplice.
The two men on the motorcycle approached a truck carrying cargo and attempted to rob the vehicle. Both suspects pointed firearms at the driver. However, an armed security escort was also traveling behind the truck. The driver reacted to the threat with a sudden maneuver and drove directly into the motorcycle.
The motorcycle subsequently crashed into the concrete median barrier. The impact had catastrophic consequences, particularly for Diego Rodrigues, who suffered devastating head injuries that resulted in his head being completely separated from his body. His body was left lying on the roadway, while his accomplice fled the scene.
The truck driver continued toward Rio de Janeiro, where he sought assistance from military police officers. Officers from the Highway Police Battalion (BPVE) later found a damaged firearm near the scene. The case is being investigated by the 59th Police Precinct in Duque de Caxias. The truck driver and members of the armed escort were questioned.
