Dr Michael Mammone mowed down & stabbed to death by Vanroy Evan Smith while cycling along California’s Pacific Coast Highway in apparent road rage incident. Incident caught on video.
A California driver mowed down a doctor taking an afternoon bike ride — before getting out of his Lexus and stabbing him to death, in an apparent road rage incident according to reports.
Dr Michael Mammone, 58, was cycling along the Pacific Coast Highway when he was run over by a white Lexus as driven by Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, at around 3pm, Wednesday afternoon.
Smith, according to witnesses was observed then getting out of his car and stabbing the ER doctor multiple times as bystanders sought to restrain the deranged driver.
Witnesses say Smith was holding a BB gun when he approached Dr Mammone, and was screaming racial slurs about ‘white privilege’, according to ABC7.
Video shows the moment Smith, a trained accountant, speeding through an intersection and hitting the doctor from behind and throwing him and his bike up into the air. Police said that the pair were complete strangers according to KCAL.
Warning. Graphic video of incident from neighborhood cam 👇 pic.twitter.com/4Xe1cSL6VA
— Say Bull (@RssRyan) February 2, 2023
‘no known relationship or motive’
Smith, who is described as a black man on his arrest records, can then be seen walking over to Dr Mammone and attacking him again before witnesses drag him away.
Orange County Sheriff’s Department said investigators were unaware of the slurs and added that there was ‘no known relationship or motive’ for the killing.
It is unclear if the doctor was traveling to or from work during the incident, with friends saying he regularly cycled to the hospital as he lived close by.
Authorities discovered the doctor lying in the intersection suffering from severe injuries, with police recovering a knife from the scene.
Despite witnesses claiming they saw a gun of some kind, officials have not confirmed if any firearms were recovered from the scene.
Footage showed Mammone’s mangled mountain bike and the shattered windshield and damaged front of the car.
Sgt Michael Woodruff praised witnesses at the scene who detained Smith, calling their actions ‘brave and heroic’.
Senseless tragedy
‘As of right now we currently don’t truly understand the why … as far as motivation and any type of relationship,’ Woodruff told KTLA. ‘Investigators are keeping all options open to check those boxes, if you will, to make sure they don’t leave anything uncovered.’
Smith was arrested and has been charged with murder and is set to appear in court later on Friday. He remains in custody at the Intake Release Centre in Orange County.
Dr Mammone has worked as an ER physician at Providence Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach, since 2011 and graduated from the Keck School of Medicine of The University of Southern California in 1993 according to his Linkldn account.
He also occasionally worked out of Mission Viejo and the Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Santa Ana.
The hospital said in a statement: ‘We are stunned by this devastating tragedy. The entire Mission Hospital family is grieving over the loss of an incredible physician and friend.
‘We will honor Dr. Mammone’s dedication to our community and passion for medicine by continuing to provide exceptional care.’
Laguna Beach, CA: Neighborhood cam captures the moment Dr. Michael John Mammone (58) was struck by a vehicle and stabbed. The suspect Vanroy Evan Smith (39) of Long Beach was taken into custody for suspicion of murder. Knife found at the scene. No motive at this time. pic.twitter.com/1TIpfvkqz5
— DeL2000 (@DeL2000) February 3, 2023
Ironical death
Cardiologist Dawn Aatwal added: ‘That’s the irony of this whole thing. If a patient was brought in his condition, he would have done everything he could to save that person.
‘He has saved so many lives here, and he died very close to where he saved hundreds of lives’.
The Orange County DA’s Office said they are currently prosecuting close to 70 cases of vehicular death, with quite a few involving road rage, which seems to have risen since Covid restrictions were lifted and people returned to driving.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 714-288-6740. You can remain anonymous by calling Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
