Man Charged In Worcester Girl's Traffic Death Still In Court Process

WORCESTER, MA — The case of an Auburn man indicted on a manslaughter charge after hitting a 5-year-old girl in a Stafford Street crosswalk is still in process two years after the fatal collision.

Christopher Remillard was indicted in May 2023 on charges of involuntary manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide by negligence, and negligent driving of a motor vehicle in connection to Candice Asare-Yeboah's death. His next court date, a scheduling conference, will be June 7, the Worcester County District Attorney's Office said this week.

Asare-Yeboah and her mother, Asha Nyarki Asare, were crossing Stafford Street near the Shaw's on April 18, 2022, when Remillard hit them. The mother and daughter were shopping at nearby Queen Beauty Supply during school vacation week. Asare-Yeboah died due to her injuries in May 2022, and Nyarki Asare suffered long-term injuries.

Remillard was also indicted last May on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury due to Nyarki Asare's injuries.

Asare-Yeboah's shocking death prompted a new focus on traffic injuries and deaths in Worcester involving pedestrians, and a push to adopt Vision Zero policies. Seven pedestrians died on city roads in 2022 — although the 5-year-old wasn't counted because she died weeks after Remillard hit her.

City officials and community members convened a walking inspection of Stafford Street after the collision, finding safety hazards like cars parked on sidewalks, speeding drivers and wide roads with little refuge for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities, like vision impairment. The width of Stafford Street and its ambiguous lane markings have created a dangerous speeding problem, city transportation officials have found.

Worcester's Department of Transportation and Mobility is in the process of redesigning Stafford Street in an effort to reduce speeding and improve safety for pedestrians. The city will hold a public meeting to review the proposed changes on Monday.