Road rage: Quincy man charged with firing gun at car on Southeast Expressway
BOSTON, July 28, 2025 – A Quincy man will return to court next month on assault to murder and firearms charges after being arraigned Friday for nearly smashing into a vehicle on July 1 on the Southeast Expressway and then shooting at the car—which was being driven by a pregnant woman—before speeding away, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.
MICHAEL BRAGEL, 33, of Quincy was charged in South Boston BMC with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (firearm), 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.
Judge Steven Kim set bail at $3,000 with GPS monitoring if released. Kim ordered Bragel to stay away from and not contact the victims, and to not possess any firearms or dangerous weapons.
Bragel is due back in court on August 28 for a probable cause hearing.
Around 5:21 p.m. on July 1, state police received a report of a gun-related road rage incident. Shortly after the female caller and her boyfriend, both visibly upset, arrived at the South Boston state police barracks. They told troopers that while they were traveling northbound on Route 93, a pickup truck, being operated aggressively and cutting through traffic, approached and nearly collided with their vehicle, prompting the woman, who was five months pregnant at the time, to sound her horn. The driver of the truck, later identified as Bragel, abruptly stopped, exited, brandished a gun, and fired. He then re-entered his truck and fled at a high rate of speed.
Troopers observed damage consistent with a glancing impact from a projectile several inches below the front passenger door window of the victims’ vehicle.
The male passenger provided troopers with cell phone video of the suspect’s vehicle. A distinctive “Alltown Construction” decal was visible on the rear window of the truck. Troopers conducted a Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) query of the truck’s license plate, which returned a red Ford F-350 registered to Alltown Construction. A Google search for Alltown Construction provided a Crabtree Road address in Quincy and a subsequent CJIS query identified Bragel as a listed resident of the address.
Bragel matched the psychical description provided by the victims of a heavy-set man with blonde hair. In a photo array, each victim independently identified Bragel as the man who exited the truck and discharged the firearm. Troopers on July 14 obtained a criminal warrant against Bragel.
Bragel has an open case in Quincy for malicious destruction of a motor vehicle.
“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,” Hayden said.
All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop. Our office handles more than 20,000 cases a year. Nearly 160 assistant district attorneys practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Boston and Chelsea Juvenile Courts and the Supreme Judicial Court. Our office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs for anyone encountering the criminal justice system. We are committed to educating the public about our mission and services while focusing on crime prevention to keep the residents, workers and visitors of Suffolk County safe.
James Borghesani, Chief of Communications