Episode Transcript
[00:00:16] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, April 15. A driver was hospitalized and will face charges after crashing into a pole in Quincy early today.
[00:00:28] Police say the vehicle struck a utility pole on Southern Artery near the TD bank not far from the Quincy police station at about 1am the male operator was taken to South Shore Hospital for non life threatening injuries and will be summons to court on a charge of operating without a license. Power was not impacted in the area but National Grid was called in to inspect the pole.
[00:00:51] A Brockton man charged in connection with a deadly crash that killed two men in November pleaded not guilty at his arraignment yesterday. 32 year old Mario Hernandez is accused of driving drunk leading up to a crash on November 14th which killed 26 year old Shane Spillane and 24 year old Justin Pratt. Police were called to the crash at Quincy and Center streets about 1:30 that morning found a 2019 Infinity Q50 had collided with a box truck. The Infinity was up in flames with the occupants still inside.
[00:01:27] Spillane, who was a passenger in the Infinity, was taken to Boston Medical center south in Brockton where he was pronounced dead. Pratt, also a passenger, died on Nov. 30 from his injuries, according to the DA's office. Video showed the car, which was traveling west on center street, hit the driver's side of the truck as it headed north on Quincy street in the middle of the intersection. Prosecutors said the traffic lights were working and the area was well lit at the time of the crash. Hernandez is charged with motor vehicle homicide, operation under the influence of liquor, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and a red light violation. He pleaded not guilty yesterday and bail was set at $5,000 cash. He was ordered to remain alcohol free and to submit to alcohol screenings. He also is prohibited from driving as a condition of his release.
[00:02:20] Prosecutors had asked that Hernandez be held on $100,000 cash bail and that a prior bail in a separate case be revoked. He's scheduled to return to court on June 2.
[00:02:34] A 49 year old man was arrested and charged in connection with his alleged participation in a multi year dog fighting conspiracy involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs. Corey Elliott from Carver has been charged with conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture in violation of the Federal Animal Welfare Act. Elliott was arrested yesterday morning and arraigned in federal court in Boston yesterday afternoon, according to court paperwork. Elliott's accused of organizing and hosting dog fighting events, including at his home in Carver, constructing dog fighting pits, the documents allege. He also built kennel structures designed to house and condition dogs for fighting, the documents revealed. Elliott also allegedly engaged in acts of animal cruelty, including training the dogs to fight, subjecting them to violent encounters and culling dogs that didn't meet desired standards.
[00:03:36] Last June, investigators searched Elliot's home in Carver, where they seized multiple pit bull type dogs from an outdoor kennel area, according to court documents. Several of the dogs had scarring consistent with dog fighting. Items including harnesses, leashes, syringes and veterinary medications were also taken from the residents. If convicted, Elliot faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
[00:04:06] More MBTA bus operators are getting a second set of eyes while they're behind the wheel Mobile Eye Shield plus is a collision avoidance system for buses. The MBTA started using the technology as a Pilot program in 2021.
[00:04:25] Now the system is installed on every new bus as well as some existing buses. In some ways, it's similar to what drivers use in their vehicles.
[00:04:34] Person outside the bus would also hear an audible message that the bus is approaching mobile. I Shield plus is already on board 135 MBTA buses. It will soon be coming to more than 330 others, thanks to a federal grant. The MBTA was one of only 14 departments to receive the funding, with the goal of improving road safety for all.
[00:05:01] While Massachusetts lawmakers continue to work on social media restrictions for teenagers, governor Healey is entering the chat with additional proposals that would require the platforms to significantly change the services available to kids. Governor said her proposals would establish some of the most comprehensive protections in the nation. Healy's social media proposals include deactivating features like Infinite scroll and Autoplay, which Healy called addictive setting a daily limit of two hours for social media use, disabling location tracking, blocking notifications during school and overnight, requiring periodic reminders about social media's impact on health and requiring parental consent to change default settings for users aged 15 and younger. Governor first announced that she intended to file social media legislation in January.
[00:05:59] Since then, the House passed what Democratic leaders in that body called the nation's most restrictive legislation governing kids access to social media and a ban on cell phones at school. Cell phone ban has already passed the Senate in July, but the addition of the social media ban for kids under age 14 now requires the two branches of the Legislature to negotiate a reconciled version of the bill.
[00:06:27] A check of business news this morning. Stocks are higher. The Dow rose 317, the Nasdaq's up 455 and the S&P added 81.
[00:06:36] Asian stocks mostly rose. Echoing the rally on Wall Street. That came as oil prices eased on hopes the United States and Iran may try again on talks to end their war.
[00:06:49] The dollar rose. The euro was down, oil at almost $91 a barrel and sports Red Sox were shut out by the twins in Minnesota, 6 to nothing. They play again at 140 this afternoon.
[00:07:03] The Bruins shut out New Jersey 4 to nothing and they'll play Buffalo in the first round of the Eastern Conference Stanley cup playoffs.
[00:07:13] The National Weather Service forecast today, pike, partly sunny with a chance of an isolated thunderstorm. High of 81. Showers around this evening, a low 53. Tomorrow partly sunny. Chance of a storm high 80. Scattered showers Friday, high of 76. Cloudy on Saturday with a high only 58.
[00:07:33] Marine forecast calling for 1 foot waves. Northwest winds at 5 to 10 knots. Become easterly later today. High tide 10:23am Sunrise six two sets at 7:25.
[00:07:46] Traffic note four River Bridge scheduled to open at 9 o' clock tonight and 5:40 tomorrow morning.
[00:07:53] I'm Joe Catalano with an AM Quincy news update for Wednesday, April 15th.
