John Axelrod killed in Boston crash, William Haney charged – NBC Boston

A well-known art collector who served as an advisor to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts has been identified as the victim of a deadly hit-and-run crash over the weekend.

Prominent art collector John Axelrod, 79, and his dog were killed when they were struck by an SUV in the Back Bay around 8 a.m. Saturday. The driver, since identified as 42-year-old William Haney, of Boston, initially fled the scene before ultimately turning himself in to Brookline police.

Police said that Haney intentionally hit Axelrod and his dog, driving into the tree-lined median, and details about why he might have done so emerged in court Monday.

Haney is now facing charges including murder and animal cruelty and was held without bail at his arraignment Monday and ordered to be hospitalized at Bridgewater State Hospital to determine his competency to stand trial. He is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 23.

Prosecutors described at Haney’s arraignment how video surveillance showed him leaving his home in his Toyota SUV around 7:42 p.m., making his way into Back Bay. Along his route, he reportedly stopped a passerby and asked if they had seen an individual wearing a red jacket with a dog. Haney used a derogatory term when referring to the individual, suggesting that they had a past history.

The passerby told Haney the person he was asking about was up ahead, and pointed in their direction.

Haney then got into his SUV and drove up onto the pedestrian walkway known as the Commonwealth Mall and directed his SUV at a faster rate of speed toward Axelrod and his dog, another witness told police. Shortly after, the witness said they heard a loud bang and the sound of a yelping dog.

Prosecutors said Haney then fled in his SUV in the direction of Massachusetts Avenue. He stopped at a Dunkin’ several minutes later and discarded of the dog’s leash, which was stuck in the grill of his vehicle. He then went to a nearby service station and asked if they could fix his bumper or if he could leave his vehicle there for a couple of days. When they said no, he eventually abandoned his SUV in Brookline.

Haney later met up with his brother, who went with Haney to the Brookline Police Department, where his brother said Haney had been in an accident.

“This was not a motor vehicle accident,” Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Ursula Knight said. “It was deliberate and premeditated murder, with the defendant using his Toyota as the murder weapon.”

Haney’s attorney, Keith Halpern, did not oppose the request for Haney to be held without bail.

Dr. Heather Jackson, a court psychologist, told the judge that Haney suffers from a mental illness and had been receiving psychiatric treatment. She said his medication was changedin August, and his brother said he has had a difficult time understanding the difference between reality and fantasy since that time.

“He does not know what he is currently being charged with,” she said.

Axelrod was a philanthropist and benefactor to the Museum of Fine Arts.

“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of MFA Honorary Advisor John Axelrod. A generous supporter and passionate advocate for underrepresented artists, John had been a part of the MFA family since the 1980s,” the MFA said in a statement. “His legacy will live on at the Museum through the John Axelrod Collection—a transformative acquisition of nearly 70 works by Black artists, including Archibald Motley, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Alan Rohan Crite, Loïs Mailou Jones, and Kerry James Marshall.”

The museum said Axelrod also gave the MFA substantial collections of 20th-century European decorative arts, including numerous examples of Memphis Group designs, and, between 2008-2015, some 377 pieces of American Modern design from the 1920s and ’30s.

The John Axelrod Gallery in the Art of the Americas Wing, featuring American Modern design, was named in his honor in 2009.

The driver fled the area after the crash near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Hereford Street, according to Boston police.

A close friend of Axelrod’s told NBC10 Boston outside of court that the philanthropist “had a heart of gold.” she said Axelrod had lived in the Back Bay for most of his life, and she had known him since he was 8 years old.

“I’m in shock. I don’t know what to do because I don’t think he’s mentally all there. So I feel bad, I’m hurt,” said Mildred Gonzalez, a close friend of Axelrod’s.

“It’s huge. The biggest loss not just for our family, but a lot of Boston, and just people who really do appreciate the arts. This is a huge loss.”

A makeshift memorial to Axelrod had been set up on Monday morning on a Back Bay bench near where he was struck and killed.

“JA — you will never be forgotten — from your Back Bay neighborhood,” said a note placed between several bouquets of flowers.