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Police: Tom Brady tried to swerve out of path of minivan

Print | Comments () Posted by John Ellement September 10, 2010 12:49 PM

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By Milton J. Valencia and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady tried to avoid colliding with a minivan in the Back Bay Thursday morning, but the professional athlete told police he could not swerve out of the path of the vehicle that suddenly appeared in front of him.

(Splash News)

The accident scene

According to a Boston police report released today, Brady told police he was driving on Gloucester Street and heading into the intersection with Commonwealth Avenue around 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

Brady told police "the traffic light was green. As he entered the intersection the minivan crossed into his path from Commonwealth Ave., at which time he attempted to swerve, but was unable to. His vehicle struck the passenger side of the minivan.''

The driver of the minivan, identified by police as 21-year-old Ludgero Rodriques of Brockton, also claimed to have the right of way.

Rodrigues, police said in the report, "had difficulty maintaining eye-contact and stated that he was the operator of the minivan … As he approached Gloucester Street, he claimed the traffic signal light was green and he proceeded, at which time his vehicle was struck on the passenger side by the Audi.''

Police said they cited Rodrigues for running a red light based on the information from a witness who told police she was walking her dogs at the time and saw that the traffic light was green in favor of Brady.

Brady was uninjured, but Rodrigues's father, who was riding in the back of the van, had to be extracted from the mangled minivan by Boston firefighters using the Jaws of Life. Rogerio Rodrigues was being driven to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton for a back procedure. He is to undergo surgery today, his sister said.

Ludgero Rodrigues has a checkered driving history, and has had his right to drive suspended five times by the Registry of Motor Vehicles since he first got his license in 2006, according to RMV records.

RMV spokeswoman Ann Dufresne said today the registry will wait to see if Rodrigues is found responsible for the latest infraction. Once that is resolved, she said, Rodrigues potentially could have his right to drive suspended again.

Dufresne called Rodrigues's driving history "egregious,'' but said the incidents he was found to be responsible for generally did not fall into the category of dangerous driving.

Instead, RMV records show, Rodrigues was cited repeatedly for not wearing a seat belt himself, or for having children in the car he was driving who were not properly secured, the RMV records show. He was also cited for improper equipment and for not having an inspection sticker.

Dufresne said the RMV first suspended Rodrigues's license in 2008 after he amassed seven traffic violations within three years. His license was suspended for 60 days as a result, she said.

However, once he got his right to drive back, he was cited for a new traffic violation, which meant he once again had seven traffic violations in a three-year period. He was suspended for 60 days once again, she said.

"He kept reoffending,'' she said. "It's not a clean slate.''