Norwood Man Found Guilty in 2013 Fatal Route 1 Dragging

FOXBOROUGH, MA — A Norwood man has been found guilty of dragging a woman to death while driving up Route 1 in Wrentham and Foxborough, the Norfolk District Attorney's office announced.

Moses Acloque, 25, was convicted of leaving the scene of a collision causing death, motor vehicle homicide, property larceny under $250, and use of motor vehicle without authority. He was acquitted of leaving the scene of a collision causing personal injury. The conviction came after a five-day jury-waived trial in Norfolk Country Superior Court.

The November 2013 incident began following a confrontation in the parking lot of the Arbor Inn on Route 1 in Wrentham, where Acloque had apparently been squatting in a vacant room at the inn, the DA's office said. After management approached Acloque, he fled in a truck and struck Kanchanben Patel. Patel became stuck under the car and was dragged up Route 1 until the truck stopped at a restaurant just south of Gillette Stadium.

While at the restaurant, Acloque put the car in the reverse until Patel's body was dislodged and attempted to flee the scene. He was arrested in the area after a driver who followed Acloque notified police of his location.

“This was a shocking crime,” District Attorney Michael Morrissey said in a statement. “The victim was run over standing next to her husband of 40-years. A terrible way for her to die and a terrible thing for him to witness.”

Sentencing is scheduled for March 14. The charge of leaving the scene of a collision causing death carries a mandatory minimum sentence of a year and the motor vehicle homicide charge carries a mandatory 15-year loss of license.

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