A Massachusetts man whose SUV crashed through the glass storefront of an Apple store, killing one man and injuring nearly two dozen other people, has been charged with murder, prosecutors said.
Bradley Rein, 53, was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday on charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation and 22 counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the Nov. 21 crash at a shopping plaza in the Boston suburb of Hingham, Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz’s office said in a statement.
Rein was behind the wheel of his 2019 Toyota 4Runner when it crashed through the store, killing Kevin Bradley, 65, of Wayne, New Jersey, who was doing construction at the site, and injuring 22 others.
First responders found workers and bystanders administering first aid to the victims, several of whom were badly injured, authorities said. Bradley was pronounced dead at the scene.
Rein was previously arraigned in district court on charges related to the crash, which his lawyer at the time called an accident. Not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf and he was released on $100,000 bail.
The new murder charge moves the case to Brockton Superior Court, where he will be arraigned at a later date, prosecutors said. The district attorney’s office did not explain why Rein was charged with murder.
“I was astounded by the charge,” Rein’s attorney, Joan Fund, said Wednesday. “My client has fully cooperated with the investigation and I look forward to answering all other questions about this case in court.”
Rein told police he was looking for an eyeglasses store at the shopping center when his right foot became stuck on the accelerator, according to court documents. He said he used his left foot to try to brake but couldn’t stop.
Rein told police he had no medical issues that would impair his ability to drive and had not consumed alcohol or drugs. A breath test showed he had no alcohol in his system, authorities said.
Several victims have filed lawsuits against the owner of the property, the developer, the management of the property, Apple and Rein, alleging negligence.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.