Prosecutor: Man charged in deadly Hingham Apple Store crash accelerated SUV to 60 mph

BROCKTON, Mass. — The man accused of barreling through the glass storefront of the Apple Store in Hingham accelerated his SUV to 60 mph before killing one and injuring more than 20 others in the crash, prosecutors said Monday.

“Do you have anything at all to say to these victims?” Boston 25 Reporter Bob Ward asked 53-year-old Bradley Rein outside Brockton Superior Court.

But he said nothing about the deadly November crash.

Rein of Hingham, pleaded not guilty in Plymouth County Superior Court in Brockton to upgraded charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, and 18 counts of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, according to Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.

Rein, who will remain free on the $100,000 bail that he previously posted in district court, was also told by the judge to refrain from operating a motor vehicle, to stay in Massachusetts unless otherwise granted permission to leave, to wear a GPS device, to surrender his passport, and to avoid possessing weapons.

Man pleads not guilty to upgraded murder charge in deadly Hingham Apple Store crash

Rein is accused of crashing his 2019 Toyota 4 Runner into the store at the Derby Street Shops near Burton’s Grill, killing one person and seriously injuring 22 others on the morning of Nov. 21, 2022.

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The charges filed Monday are upgraded from previous charges of reckless homicide by a motor vehicle and reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

According to investigators, Rein told police his right foot was stuck on the accelerator before the crash. During the arraignment, prosecutors said an inspection of the vehicle revealed no defects that would have contributed to the crash.

Prosecutors told the court that information from the “event data recorder” in Rein’s vehicle revealed the SUV’s accelerator pedal application jumped to 100 percent, bringing the speed up to a maximum of 60 mph before the crash.

There was no indication of brake application and the leftward steering application redirected the SUV toward the store at the last moment, sending it hurdling through the storefront, according to prosecutors.

Many of the victims are also suing Rein, Apple, and the shopping plaza’s owners.

Rein is due back in court on June 21.

“Do you have anything at all to say to these victims?” Boston 25′s Bob Ward asked 53 year old Bradley Rein outside Brockton Superior Court Monday.

But he said nothing about the deadly November crash at the Hingham Apple Store that killed one man and injured 22 others.

Prosecutors allege on November 21st at 10:45 AM, Rein was behind the wheel of a Toyota 4Runner that quickly accelerated and barreled through the Apple Store’s glass storefront, killing 65-year-old construction worker Kevin Bradley.

In Superior Court, Rein pleaded not guilty to a 25-count indictment.

A prosecutor told the court Rein first told police, that in the moments before the crash, his right foot became stuck on the Toyota’s accelerator, and that he was pressing the brake with his left foot, trying in vain to stop his SUV.

But the prosecutor said early test results show, the Toyota’s brakes were not touched.

“The event data recorder indicated that in the five seconds prior to the crash, accelerator pedal application rose to 100 percent, bringing the vehicle’s speed up to a maximum of 60 miles per hour. There was no indication of brake application during those five seconds,” said Assistant Plymouth County DA David Custshall.

“Did you try to brake Mr. Rein?” I asked, but Bradley Rein did not answer any of my questions.

The DA said more answers will come out at trial.

“We will make sure there is justice for Mr. Bradley, There is justice for all the people whose lives were changed and altered forever,” said Plymouth County DA Timohty Cruz.

Meanwhile, as the criminal case against Bradley Rein moves forward, an attorney representing ten of the victims says, he is moving forward with civil legal action.

“They could have protected the front of that store. They could have prevented the vehicle from getting to that kind of speed,” attorney David Sheff told me in a Zoom interview.

Bradley Rein is free on $100,000 bail.

He must wear a GPS Monitoring device.

He is due back in court on June 21st for a pretrial conference.

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