Hingham’s Apple Store Crash: What We Know

Local

Bradley Rein, 53, was arrested Monday night, authorities said.

A 53-year-old man was charged after driving an SUV into an Apple store in Hingham on Monday, a fatal accident that left one dead and at least 20 injuredauthorities announced on Tuesday.

Bradley Rein, of Hingham, has been charged with reckless motor vehicle homicide, according to the office of Plymouth District Attorney Tim Cruz.

Rein was arrested Monday night and held at the Plymouth County Reformatory, officials said. A plea of ​​not guilty was entered on his behalf at an arraignment hearing in Hingham District Court on Tuesday morning.

Rein told police in an interview on Monday that he was shopping at Derby Street stores that morning, Assistant District Attorney David Cutshall said in court. Rein said his right foot got stuck on the accelerator while he was driving and he tried to brake with his left foot but couldn’t stop, according to Cutshall.

Rein also told police he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and had voluntarily taken an initial breath test, which recorded a “zero” blood alcohol reading. said the prosecutor. Rein added that he has no medical conditions that impair his ability to drive a car and that the SUV has no known mechanical issues, officials said.

Rein has no known connection to the Apple Store, according to Cutshall.

Judge Heather Bradley ordered that Rein be held on $100,000 cash bond, at the prosecutor’s request. An attorney representing Rein initially sought to set bail at $20,000 or no more than $50,000.

Bradley also ordered Rein not to operate a motor vehicle for the duration of the case; obtain court approval to travel out of state; and not be charged with another crime because he could be held without bond for up to 90 days if he did, she said.

What the prosecutors said

Authorities say Rein drove a 2019 Toyota 4Runner through the glass front of the Apple store in Derby Street Shops around 10:45 a.m.

Cutshall said surveillance video reviewed by investigators appeared to show Rein driving at a “constant high speed down the traffic lane and straight into the Apple store,” located about 30 feet from the sidewalk.

Rein came to rest in the left rear corner of the store, Cutshall said. The accident caused parts of the store’s rear wall to collapse and debris to be pushed into an adjacent hallway behind the wall, he said.

“A large gaping hole was observed to the right of the main entrance,” Cutshall said.

The crash killed Kevin Bradley, 65, of New Jersey, prosecutors said. In a statement, Apple said Bradley was there “to support the store’s recent construction.”

A colleague of Bradley, employed by GMS Construction, told police the two were moving a gate near a window when he heard the roar of an engine, according to a state police report reviewed by The Boston Globe.

“He suddenly turned around and heard what he thought was an explosion, followed by a loud crash,” the report said.

Several people have suffered life-threatening and limb-threatening injuries, doctors at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth said on Monday afternoon. First responders said several people were trapped between a wall and the SUV after the accident.

Initial reports of the number of injured victims varied between authorities and hospitals, but Cutshall said in court on Tuesday that first responders identified about 21 victims, including Bradley, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dr William Tollefsen, medical director of South Shore Hospital Emergency Medical Services, told reporters that other victims suffered “somewhat diverse” injuries, including severe head trauma, lower extremity trauma and mutilated limbs.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Jason Tracy, the hospital’s director of emergency medicine, said five victims brought to South Shore Hospital suffered serious injuries. Overall, there were very few minor injuries among the patients, he said, adding that “most of them were quite significant”.

“There is a long road to recovery for many patients who are in our facility,” he said.

The hospital initially received 18 victims on Monday, but two people were later transferred to facilities in Boston, Tracy said. All injured victims treated at South Shore Hospital are expected to survive, he said.

Apple responded to the incident Monday evening in a statement to Boston.com.

“We are devastated by the shocking events in Apple Derby Street today and the tragic loss of a professional who was on hand to support the store’s recent build. Our hearts go out to our team members and customers who were injured and to all those affected by this terrible incident,” the statement read. “We are doing everything we can to support our team members and customers during this very difficult time.”

According to Cutshall, Rein voluntarily went with police and consented to a taped interview with investigators after Monday’s crash.

Rein told investigators he was at the mall looking for a store where he could buy a replacement lens for his glasses, according to the state police report.

He said he walked in and out of a store he thought was Warby Parker and pulled out of his parking space to look for another store, the report said.

“He said while driving in the Barnes & Noble area, his right foot got stuck on the throttle and the vehicle accelerated,” Cutshall said. “He said he used his left foot to try to brake but was unable to stop the vehicle and [it crashed] by the front of the Apple Store.

The police report added: “Mr. Rein said everything happened quickly. Mr. Rein said his foot once got stuck on the accelerator while driving on the highway. At the time of the accident, Mr. Rein was wearing Brooks running sneakers.

Investigators also questioned why the surveillance video showed Rein walking through the parking lot before the incident, and Rein told them he was unfamiliar with the square since he had only been there once before, according to The report.

In addition to the preliminary breath test, Rein also consented to a search of his cellphone and allowed authorities to take a blood sample, according to Cutshall.

“Following this, the accused was arrested and booked at Hingham Police Station,” Cutshall said. “This investigation is ongoing.”

Rein has no criminal record in Massachusetts, Cutshall said.

But Cutshall said Rein was arrested by Vermont State Police in December 2020 for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol in Roxbury, Vermont. The charge was later dropped, however, he said.

“An unfortunate accident”: what the defense said

Rein was not eligible for court-appointed counsel and must either seek his own representation or waive his right to counsel when he next appears in court on Dec. 22.

He was, however, appointed as a bail attorney at Tuesday’s hearing. This lawyer pointed out how Rein cooperated with investigators.

“Although the outcome of this accident was horrific…it was an accident,” the attorney said.

There’s also no reason to believe Rein wouldn’t show up for a scheduled court appearance, the lawyer said, citing his community ties.

Rein, who moved to Hingham about a year and a half ago, has lived in Massachusetts for 30 years and has family in the state, including his two children, whom he sees often, his attorney said.

“He also spends a lot of time hiking and mountain biking, skiing, fishing, doing other things with his kids,” the attorney said. “He is very close to them, very family with them.”

He is currently unemployed but previously worked in software sales and the technology sector, according to the attorney, who said Rein has no mental health issues.

“Like I said, it was just an unfortunate accident,” the attorney said.