An accountant accused of mowing down a doctor in the emergency room before stabbing him to death has appeared in court charged with murder.
Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, appeared in Orange County Central Court Wednesday charged with the murder of Dr. Michael Mammone, 58.
dr Mammone was biking along the Pacific Coast Highway in California when he was hit by a white Lexus speeding through a red light at an intersection.
Smith is accused of running over the married father-of-two before getting out and stabbing him and was remanded in custody on $1million bail.
He appeared in court tied to several MPs and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
Accountant Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, appeared in Orange County Central Court on Wednesday charged with the murder of Dr. Michael Mammone, 58
dr Michael Mammone, 58, was pedaling along the Pacific Coast Highway on Wednesday when he was run over by a white Lexus
The alleged killer has also been charged with personal use of a deadly weapon and will appear in court on February 14.
Witnesses say he was holding a BB gun when he approached Dr. Mammone, a married father of two, shouted racial slurs about “white privilege,” according to ABC7.
The shocking video shows the moment Smith, a trained accountant, crashed into the cyclist, with police claiming the two were complete strangers.
It shows the Lexus seemingly speeding across the intersection, throwing the doctor and his bike into the air.
Smith, described in his arrest records as a black man, can then be seen going to Dr. Mammone leaves and attacks him again before witnesses drag him away.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said investigators were unaware of the insults, adding that there was “no known relationship or motive” to the murder.
It is unclear whether the doctor was driving to or from work during the incident. Friends said he regularly rode his bike to the hospital as he lived nearby.
His wife Julie told it was a “really difficult time” for the family following the tragic incident.
dr Mammone is survived by his wife Julie, pictured with Mike, a nurse at the same hospital, and two sons, Nick and Jon
The footage showed Mammone’s mangled mountain bike and the car’s broken windshield and damaged front
The intersection at the PCH in Dana Point, California, where Dr. Michael Mammone, 58, was thrown off his bike and fatally stabbed on Wednesday
The intersection at PCH in Dana Point where accountant Vanroy Evan Smith, 39, was arrested on suspicion of murder for allegedly killing cyclist Dr. Michael Mammone, 58, was struck and stabbed while driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point, California
Authorities discovered the doctor lying at the intersection with serious injuries, and police recovered a knife at the scene.
Although witnesses claimed to have seen a gun, officials have not confirmed whether firearms were found at the scene.
Sgt. Michael Woodruff also commended the witnesses at the scene who arrested Smith, calling their actions “brave and heroic.”
Smith, a father of two, remains in custody at the Orange County Intake Release Center.
dr Mammone has been an emergency room physician at Providence Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach since 2011 and graduated from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine in 1993.
He also occasionally served at Mission Viejo and Orange County Children’s Hospital in Santa Ana.
His wife Julie told it was a “really difficult time” for the family following the tragic incident
dr Mammone’s wrecked bike can be seen at the corner of the intersection after being thrown into the air
Aerial photos show where the white Lexus crashed into the cyclist and remained parked a few hundred yards away
The hospital said in a statement: “We are stunned by this devastating tragedy. The entire Mission Hospital family mourns the loss of an incredible doctor and friend.
‘We will continue the commitment of Dr. Recognize Mammone for our community and his passion for medicine as we continue to provide exceptional care.’
He is survived by his wife Julie, a nurse at the same hospital, and two sons, Nick and Jon.
Cardiologist Dawn Aatwal added: “That’s the irony of this whole thing. If a patient had been brought in his condition, he would have done everything to save that person.
He appeared in court tied to several MPs and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth
The shocking video shows the moment Smith, a trained accountant, crashed into the cyclist, with police claiming the two were complete strangers
Although witnesses claimed to have seen a gun, officials have not confirmed whether firearms were found at the scene
“He saved so many lives here, and he died very close by where he saved hundreds of lives,” said cardiologist Dr. Dawn Aatwal.
The footage showed Mammone’s mangled mountain bike and the car’s broken windshield and damaged front.
The Orange County Attorney’s Office said they are currently prosecuting nearly 70 cases of vehicle deaths, some related to road rage, which appears to have increased since Covid restrictions were lifted and people started driving again.
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.