Last modified: Saturday, November 10, 2007 12:38 AM EST Laudalino Camara of Pawtucket is arraigned. (Staff photo by MARK STOCKWELL) RI man held in Seekonk accident BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF TAUNTON - Following an intense investigation, a stone mason from Pawtucket was charged Friday with the hit-and-run death last month of Seekonk resident Maria Otilia Aguiar. Laudalino Camara, 50, who allegedly tried to cover up the fatal accident by having his wife stage another crash on Interstate 95, was arraigned in Taunton District Court on charges of motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of an accident, death resulting. No charges were filed in regard to the alleged coverup. Aguiar, 39, was hit head-on and killed instantly by a white SUV while walking with her 10-year-old daughter Meghan on Chestnut Street near her home Oct. 14. Both her legs were broken and her aorta was severed by the impact of the vehicle, which was moving at a high rate of speed and did not stop or slow down, Assistant District Attorney Pat Bomberg said. Meghan was ahead of her mother on a bicycle and was run off the road in the 6:20 p.m. crash. She turned to warn her mom about the speeding car, only to see her get hit. District Attorney Sam Sutter characterized Camara as a "person without conscience." Bomberg said Camara was coming from his business, American Granite on Old Fall River Road in Seekonk, and was going home when the accident occurred. Chestnut is often used to get to Route 44 and Pawtucket. Camara was arrested Friday at 9 a.m. at work. He did not resist. Members of Aguiar's family, including her sister, Maria Branco, were in court for the arraignment. Branco said she was "grateful" for the arrest, but said it's the start of a long, painful legal process for her family. "This is only the beginning for us," she said. "We're still in shock over my sister's death." Police were led to Camara after a tip from someone who saw a damaged white SUV at a body shop in East Providence, R.I. Prosecutors declined to identify the business, but said paint chips found at the scene of the hit-and-run matched those on the vehicle in the body shop, a white GMC Yukon. The vehicle was impounded by police Oct. 20. Investigators found a tooth, an upper right incisor, in the vehicle, which they believe is Aguiar's, who was found to be missing the same tooth during an autopsy. DNA testing is being performed on the tooth, Bomberg said. The SUV was taken to the body shop after Camara's wife, Maria, hit two Jersey barriers and a light pole Oct. 15 in the southbound lane of Interstate 95 in Pawtucket. Bomberg said the accident was staged to coverup the hit-and-run involving Aguiar the previous day. Some of the damage to the SUV was not consistent with the minor crash on the highway, but was consistent with a vehicle that hit a human being, Bomberg said. He said Camara's wife claimed she became dizzy while driving on the highway to explain the accident. Camara's lawyer, James Fagan of Taunton, entered a not guilty plea on behalf of his client, who does not speak English. An interpreter was used to translate the proceedings for Camara. Judge Daniel O'Shea imposed bail at $125,000 cash or $1.25 million surety, and ordered Camara to surrender his passport. The bail will be appealed Tuesday in Superior Court in New Bedford. Bomberg, who argued Camara is a flight risk because he's a citizen of Portugal and had previously failed to show up for a court session, sought cash bail of $1 million. Fagan, argued that Camara is not a risk to flee because he has lived in the same house with his family for 19 years, owns a business and did not run when he knew he was being investigated. He asked for bail of $5,000 cash. Camara will be held at Ash Street Jail in New Bedford pending the bail appeal. If convicted he faces a maximum sentences of 10 years on each charge. GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.