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Pregnant woman targeted in road rage shooting on Southeast Expressway in Boston, DA says

By
Matt Schooley
Digital Producer, CBS Boston
Matt Schooley is a digital producer at CBS Boston. He has been a member of the WBZ news team for the last decade.
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Matt Schooley

/ CBS Boston

A Massachusetts man is facing several charges after he allegedly fired a gun at a pregnant woman and her boyfriend during a road rage incident on the Southeast Expressway in Boston.

Michael Bragel, a 33-year-old from Quincy, is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of assault to murder, two counts of assault and battery attempt with a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition, and carrying a firearm without a license.

The Suffolk District Attorney's office said that on July 1 around 5:20 p.m., a woman who was 5 months pregnant at the time was driving on Interstate 93 North when a pickup truck that was being driven aggressively and swerving through traffic nearly hit her.

The woman said she honked her horn, and the man in the truck slammed on his brakes and stopped. The man allegedly got out of his car, pulled out a gun and fired, the woman said. He then sped off. 

When police inspected the victim's car, they found "damage consistent with a glancing impact from a projectile" just inches below the front passenger door window.

Police said the woman's boyfriend was able to record cellphone video of the pickup truck, which had a decal that said "Alltown Construction" on the rear window.

Massachusetts State Police searched the license plate, which came back to the construction company and in address in Quincy where Bragel lives.

michael-bragel-1.jpg
Michael Bragel is facing charges following an alleged road rage shooting. Suffolk County District Attorney

Bragel was arrested July 14 and a judge set his bail at $3,000. If released, Bragel must wear a GPS monitoring device and stay away from the alleged victims in the case. He is also prohibited from having any weapons.

"The conduct described here—firing a gun on one of the busiest roads in the state at one of the busiest times of the day—is extraordinarily reckless, endangering both of these victims and every other motorist in the area.  I'm thankful that these two victims, despite finding themselves in a terrifying situation, had the composure to obtain video evidence that led directly to this defendant being identified and charged," Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden said in a statement.

According to investigators, Bragel has an open case in Quincy for malicious destruction of a motor vehicle.

He is scheduled to appear back in court on August 28 for a probable cause hearing.

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