2 charged after car hits pedestrians outside of downtown Boston nightclub

A man and a woman are being charged in connection with an incident that saw the man allegedly hit three people with a car outside of a Boston nightclub last month, prosecutors announced. 

Darius Boyce, 45, and Maria Moraes, 25, face criminal charges after a Jeep struck three pedestrians outside of the ICON nightclub on Feb. 28., the office of Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a press release.

Boyce is charged with three counts of felony assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, one count of improper storage of a firearm, and one count of reckless operation of a motor vehicle, court documents show.

Moraes is charged with interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct, court records show. 

Both were released without having to pay bail and have additional court hearings scheduled for May. 

Around 2:00 a.m. on Feb. 28, three people waved down Boston police outside the W Boston Hotel on Stuart Street, Hayden’s office said. 

All three alleged that they had just been struck by a blue Jeep Wrangler outside of ICON, prosecutors said.

According to the victims, the car “flew in and tried to hit like 15 people,” at “approximately 5-10 mph,” the DA said.

The male driver and female passenger — later identified as Boyce and Moraes — allegedly then exited the vehicle and tried to fight the victims, prosecutors said.

A second, unidentified man, who was sitting in the back seat of the Jeep, leaned over the center console and wielded a gun, Hayden’s office said.

The man in the back seat got out of the car and said “Do you want to die [expletive]?” Hayden’s office said.

Before driving away, Boyce and Moraes allegedly stole a phone and purse, prosecutors said. 

The victims followed the car on foot and recorded its license plate number, which they gave to police, Hayden’s office said.

Minutes after the incident was reported, Boston police officers pulled over the Jeep at the intersection of Kneeland Street and Albany Street, the DA said.

Officers identified the driver of the vehicle as Boyce and the front-seat passenger as Moraes, Hayden’s office said. 

The second passenger was not present during the stop, the DA said. 

During the interaction, police found an empty firearm holster in the front console and asked Boyce if there was a gun in the vehicle, to which “he said there wasn’t,” Hayden’s office said.

Officers were able to open the car’s glove compartment, where they found a loaded Smith and Wesson. 380 pistol, Hayden’s office said.

Boyce claimed he never brandished the weapon and blamed a person he identified only as “DJ Blaze,” the DA’s office said.

During a “show-up identification,” the three victims confirmed with “100 percent” certainty that Boyce and Moraes were the perpetrators, the DA said.

Officers arrested Boyce, then arrested Moraes after she repeatedly tried to re-enter the Jeep as it was being processed, prosecutors said. 

“Despite enduring an extremely frightening experience these three victims had the presence of mind to give crucial identifying information, including the license plate number, to police. That allowed police quickly located the vehicle and take the suspects into custody,” Hayden said.  

Attorney contact information for Boyce and Moraes was not publicly available Tuesday evening.

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