Crime
Timothy Scalisi and Nicholas Dagostino allegedly exited their vehicles and fought during rush hour in Waltham. Dagostino suffered a skull fracture and later died.
A man is facing multiple charges after a deadly road rage incident in Waltham, authorities announced Monday.
Timothy Scalisi, 31, of Waltham, was set to be arraigned in Waltham District Court Monday on charges of manslaughter and assault and battery causing serious bodily injury. He allegedly attacked Nicholas Dagostino, a 23-year-old Waltham resident who died from his injuries a few days after the incident.
At about 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, Waltham police were called to Woodside’s Service Center, an auto repair shop and gas station located at 305 Weston St. They found Dagostino sitting on the steps of the station rubbing his head. Dagostino told police that he had been driving on Tavern Road and was attempting to turn into the station from the left lane when he was blocked by another vehicle, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.
The other vehicle was allegedly being driven by Scalisi. Both men were exchanging words in traffic and “jockeying” for position with each other as they approached the gas station, Ryan said. Both got out of their vehicles, and a physical altercation ensued. During this fight, Scalisi allegedly picked up Dagostino and violently threw him to the ground.
At the gas station after the incident, Dagostino was nauseous and vomiting. He appeared very confused and was transported to a hospital. EMTs noted that he was experiencing a headache and blurred vision, Ryan said.
Investigators later learned that Dagostino suffered a brain bleed, as well as a small fracture to the right side of the lower rear portion of his skull. Doctors worked to save him, but Dagostino died at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington on May 29, Ryan said.
Authorities identified Scalisi as the suspect using surveillance footage from the gas station and nearby businesses. Flock traffic cameras also provided a “key” piece of evidence to investigators, according to Waltham Deputy Police Chief Steven Champeon.
Officials are asking members of the public to provide additional potential evidence. The alleged altercation occurred during the morning rush hour, and many people could have witnessed it. Authorities do have video evidence but are looking for more. Members of the public with dashboard cameras or other recording devices on their vehicles are being urged to review their footage.
“What might have been dismissed by drivers or passengers in that area as simply a physical fight that was taking place, we now know was actually a deadly beating,” Ryan said.
Dagostino was wearing a dark shirt, and Scalisi was wearing a lighter shirt. Dagostino was driving a white box truck with the logo and phone number of Clean Out Your House Inc., a local junk removal company. Scalisi was driving a white Hyundai SUV.
Anyone who was in the area of Tavern Road or Weston Street on May 27 between 8:40 and 8:50 a.m. and who thinks they may have witnessed an altercation is urged to contact with Waltham Police Department at 781-314-3550. Tips can be submitted by calling 781-314-3636 or by emailing [email protected].
“Driving can be very stressful, as we all know,” Ryan said. “Engaging in anger or, as is alleged here, physical force, can lead to very deadly, tragic results.”
Dagostino was remembered by family and friends as a passionate football fan who “lived joyfully and without reservation.” He enjoyed spending summers in New Hampshire, jet skiing or shooting guns with his father. But Dagostino was also a “deep” person who journaled, prayed, and maintained a “close and genuine relationship with God,” according to an online obituary.
Dagostino was known to check in on friends and family out of nowhere, and loved ones said he made the world a better place.
“He showed up. He reached out. He remembered. In a world that can feel rushed and distracted, Nick was the kind of person who made you feel like you were the only one in the room,” the obituary reads.
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
