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Moises Rodrigues alleges the crash left him suffering from “severe, painful, and disabling physical and emotional injuries,” with medical bills topping $32,000.
Brockton Mayor Moises Rodrigues steps out of his Cape Verdean Association of Brockton office, where he served as executive director before becoming mayor. Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe
Mayor Moises Rodrigues of Brockton has sued the state of Massachusetts for negligence, stemming from a 2025 car crash involving a State Police trooper that reportedly left the mayor “partially disabled,” the lawsuit says.
On May 11, 2025, Trooper Augustine Moore crossed into the travel lane of Rodrigues, striking his vehicle on Route 138 in Raynham, according to the complaint filed in Plymouth Superior Court on July 29.
During the time of the accident, Rodrigues was serving as a city councilor-at-large and the executive director of the Cape Verdean Association of Brockton.
The State Police crash report noted that the contributing factors to the accident were Moore’s “inattention” and a failure to yield the right of way.
The lawsuit was filed after Moore refused to meet an out-of-court settlement, the complaint states.
Rodrigues alleges the collision caused him to suffer “severe, painful, and disabling physical and emotional injuries,” including a head injury, headaches, dizziness, and injuries affecting his neck, back, left shoulder, left knee, right leg, right hip, right foot, and right leg, per the complaint.
Medical bills for Rodrigues’ injuries exceeded $32,000, the lawsuit notes.
Rodrigues is alleging that the crash resulted in him becoming “partially disabled” from the date of the accident up to the present day.
The complaint further alleges he was “totally disabled from his employment” as a “proximate result” of Moore’s act and the crash. His lost wages and compensation totaled $3,554, per court documents.
The mayor’s office declined to comment on the lawsuit, though Suzanne McCormack, director of constituent services, said Rodrigues’ injuries “do not impact his work now.”
State Police declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation.
Rodrigues is requesting a jury trial and seeking a judgment against the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for “an amount determined appropriate by this Court together with interest thereon and costs,” instead of a specific dollar figure, according to the complaint.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has not filed an answer to the lawsuit, although it has until Nov. 27 to do so, per court records.
Rodrigues and his attorney did not respond to a request for further comment Wednesday afternoon.
Rodrigues is involved in another separate legal matter, facing allegations that he inappropriately touched a Brockton High School student earlier this year.
Although a harassment order filed against him was lifted last month, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office has recently requested that a clerk magistrate evaluate potential charges of assault and battery. A hearing on the matter is set for Friday.
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