Hip-Hop Road Rage

Swedish hip-hop artist David Moses Jassy, who has co-written songs for “High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale and worked with Heidi Montag from reality TV’s “The Hills,” was arrested Nov. 24 for a road rage incident in Hollywood, Calif., that left a pedestrian dead.

Jassy, 34, also known as Dave Monopoly, faces charges of assault, battery and leaving the scene of an accident.

Depending on autopsy results and further investigation, the district attorney’s office is considering additional counts, the Los Angeles Times reported.

When crossing a street on foot near his home after midnight Nov. 23, John Osnes saw Jassy’s rented SUV creep into the crosswalk. Prosecutors allege Osnes slapped the vehicle and that Jassy then got out of his car and punched Osnes in the face. When Osnes bent over to pick up his glasses, Jassy and kicked him in the head.

As bystanders, including an off-duty police officer, tried to stop Jassy, the hip-hop artist got back in the vehicle and fled, running over Osnes.

Authorities arrested Jassy after tracking him down through the rental vehicle’s license plate.

Prosecutors called Osnes a “pedestrian rights activist,” a 55-year-old local jazz pianist who prided himself on not owning a vehicle.

“He was very sensitive to how pedestrians were ignored by motorists,” Kris Osnes told the Times. “He had little patience for discourteous drivers.”

Osnes died at a hospital Nov. 23.

Jassy appeared in court Nov. 25 but proceedings were postponed after he requested a Swedish interpreter. His arraignment is scheduled for Dec. 3, postponed a week to allow him to hire an attorney, according to the Times.

Commissioner Henry Hall said if Jassy makes his $1 million bail, he would be required to wear an electronic tracking device and turn over his passport.

On his MySpace page, Jassy, who identifies himself as the “CEO of Jassy World Entertainment,” said he has worked with many rap and R&B acts.