Now more than 5 months ago, on November 21st of 2022, an incident would occur leaving Hingham in shock. That Monday, Bradley Rein, 53, crashed his SUV into the Derby Street Apple store, killing one and leaving 22 people injured. 

“It just didn’t seem real,” Recounted Andy Healey, a sophomore at Hingham High School. “I remember when I first heard about it, but you didn’t really realize how serious it was until you saw the pictures.”

That was the reaction for many people, with more shocked reactions following details regarding the crash being publicized. At first, in January, Rein was charged with motor vehicle homicide and reckless driving following his claims that his right foot became stuck on the accelerator. To many, the crash stood out as a tragic accident, while to others the circumstances behind the alleged accident just didn’t make sense.

“I didn’t think it was an accident at the time,” says Jack Brockney, a fellow sophomore at Hingham High School. “Like I don’t understand how that guy, in that position, would choose to drive into the store as opposed to veering into the parking lot. Obviously it was a split second thing, but still I couldn’t imagine it was totally an accident.”

Now, with the driver being indicted on murder compared to his previous homicide charge, it seems more and more likely that the crash was intentional. A grand jury indicted him on second-degree murder and motor vehicle homicide on the 28th of March. Bradley Rein will be arraigned for the murder charges in the future. This is alongside a lawsuit filed last year by an attorney representing some of the victims. 

In wake of the crash, Derby Street has become equipped with new barriers around the Apple store, two dozen in total. To many, this represents progress; progress that can hopefully be replicated around other parts of Derby Street to make the plaza safer.