Joseph Dsouza was headed home along Maryland Route 480 just before 2 p.m. on Friday when his Kia crossed paths with a big box truck that suddenly drifted across the center line. Loved ones say he was a careful driver and a warm presence in his community. Emergency crews arrived to find Dsouza’s vehicle off the road after the impact with the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say the truck, driven by 50-year-old James Sherry of Greensboro, crossed into the southbound lane without warning. Dsouza swerved to avoid a direct head-on collision, steering onto the shoulder where the crash unfolded. The force of the impact was enough to end his life instantly.
A passenger with Dsouza, 50-year-old Hillary Coelho of Kuwait, was trapped and seriously hurt. Maryland State Police Aviation Command flew him to a trauma center, where he remains under treatment. Sherry was also taken to a nearby hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.
Family members are still struggling to make sense of the shock. Friends describe Dsouza as a young man full of life, the kind who welcomed everyone with a smile and helped when he could. The sudden loss has left a hole in the tight-knit Ridgely community, with neighbors recalling his plans for the future and how abruptly they were cut short.
Maryland State Police investigators continue to piece together exactly why the truck crossed the center line. They have not yet said whether charges will be filed, but they are considering impairment as a possible factor while they wait on toxicology and further evidence.
State Police and Caroline County emergency teams closed portions of Route 480 after the crash to clear debris and document the scene. Roadway crews worked side by side with troopers to reopen the road later that night.
As the investigation moves forward, family and friends are holding vigils and sharing memories of Dsouza online. In person and in spirit, the community has rallied around Coelho’s family as he fights to recover and around Dsouza’s parents who now face the hardest days of their lives.
