By Dan Murphy
A Back Bay man who is accused of causing a deliberate hit-and-run collision in January on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall that left a venerable art collector from the same neighborhood and his dog dead was found not competent to stand trial at the suspect’s arraignment on Feb. 13 in BMC Central.
The suspect, William Haney, 42, was then charged with two additional charges of reckless operation of a vehicle and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. These new charges will be combined with the previous charges of murder and cruelty to an animal, which Haney was arraigned on Jan. 5.
Haney is accused of intentionally hitting John Axelrod, 79, also of the Back Bay, with his car near Commonwealth Avenue and Hereford Street on Jan. 3 while Axelrod was walking his dog. Axelrod’s dog also died as a result of the collision.
. Judge James Stanton ordered Haney be held without bail for an additional 60 days for the additional charges and remanded him to Bridgewater State Hospital for hospitalization and examination for competency to stand trial in the future.
Haney will return to court on April 13 for a status hearing, according to the office of Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
The Commonwealth is represented by Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight. Haney is represented by attorney Keith Halpern.