What happened to Henry Tapia? Hudson man found guilty in racially motivated road rage incident

On January 19, 2021, Henry Tapia, 34, was hit by an Evade Dakota truck on Upland Street in Belmont. Everything occurred after a contention with a man recognized as Senior member Kapsalis raised. Investigators kept up with that the assault on Henry Tapia was racially inspired as Kapsalis, a white man, hit the casualty in the wake of yelling a racial slur at him.

An examination by Belmont and State Police uncovered that the quarrel started about whether a signal was being utilized in rush hour gridlock. Albeit the protection kept up with that Henry Tapia’s passing was a mishap, examiners contended it was a racially inspired killing on a private road.

Last week, a Middlesex Region jury viewed Senior member Kapsalis to be liable of racially-propelled murder. Kapsalis has been indicted for second-degree murder, infringement of protected privileges, causing serious substantial injury, threatening behavior through a hazardous weapon (engine vehicle), causing serious real injury, and leaving the scene in the wake of causing injury.

Hudson occupant Dignitary Kapsalis has been sentenced for homicide in the demise of a dark and Latino dad of three, Henry Tapia, in Belmont, Massachusetts, right external Boston.

The episode happened following a verbal contention over a signal. Kapsalis likewise reviled Tapia and afterward got into his pickup truck, running it straightforwardly into Tapia, lethally harming him. The denounced purportedly hauled the casualty a brief distance prior to driving off, the Belmontonian detailed.

At the point when specialists showed up at the scene, they found Henry Tapia out and about close to the driver’s side of the last’s Honda City, cognizant yet with dangerous wounds. He capitulated to his wounds at the emergency clinic.

Kapsalis handed himself over at a police headquarters 30 minutes after the fact, after police gave a caution to be keeping watch for a red Evade Dakota pickup truck. At preliminary, the guard contended that Kapsalis had driven onto the walkway to keep away from Henry Tapia, who bounced onto the truck’s hood and was killed when he fell under the vehicle.

In any case, examiners contended in any case and guaranteed the assault to be racially spurred.

Middlesex Lead prosecutor Marian Ryan said in a news meeting after the decision that the assault was a racially persuaded silly misfortune.

A Middlesex Superior Court jury found Dean Kapsalis, 56, guilty of murder in the 2nd degree; reckless conduct; a&b by means of a dw; causing serious bodily injury; leaving the scene after causing bodily injury; and violation of constitutional rights with bodily injury.

— Belmont, MA Police (@BelmontPD) May 1, 2023

She added that brutal episodes persuaded by disdain and bigotry won’t be viewed as foundation realities in Middlesex Province, and those wrongdoings will be charged independently and arraigned, Law&Crime detailed.

Kapsalis’ lawyer, John Cunha Jr., said he wanted to pursue the decision, saying attendants viewed his client not liable of deliberately leaving the mishap scene yet at fault for the lesser offense of carelessly departing the scene.

Kapsalis, who is 56 years of age, will be held without bail until condemning by Partner Equity of the Predominant Court David Deakin on June 27, 2023. According to reports, the decision was declared on May 1 following fourteen days of declaration and three days of consultation.