BERWICK, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A stunning development Wednesday in a crime that captured national attention. The man who drove a car through a crowd of people at a fundraiser in Columbia County last summer, killing one person and injuring 19 others, made a surprise guilty plea Wednesday morning.
25-year-old Adrian Sura Reyes drove through a crowd of people in the parking lot of the Intoxicology Department Bar in Berwick where one woman was killed. He then went across the river to Nescopeck and murdered his mother.
Sura Reyes pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder. He admits plowing his car through the crowd in Berwick on August 13 and also killing his mother that same day in Nescopeck.
It all began on the evening of August 13 in Berwick. He drove his car through the crowd at the bar. Where a fundraiser was being held for the families of the victims of a deadly fire in Nescopeck that killed 10 people on August 5.
50-year-old Rebecca Reese was killed in the Berwick rampage.
Then Sura Reyes admits he drove the same car to Nescopeck. Ran down his mother, 56-year-old Rosa Reyes, and then beat her to death with a hammer. Reyes says he plead guilty in part- in exchange for having a potential death penalty taken off the table. He now will serve a mandatory life sentence.
30 or so victims of the berwick crash and families of fire victims were in court. Many of them cried during the guilty plea. They did not want to make any comment as they left the Columbia County Courthouse.
Eyewitness News was the only television news team in the courtroom as the guilty plea was entered. Eyewitness News had an exchange with Reyes shortly after he pleaded guilty.
“I’m sorry,” Sura Reyes stated. Is there anything you’d like to say to the families, the victims,” Mehalshick asked.
“I’m sorry,” Sura Reyes responded. “Why did you do it,” Mehalshick questioned. “I was aggravated,” Sura Reyes replied. “Why we’re you aggravated,” Mehalsick asked. “It’s personal. I’m sorry. I really am,” continued Sura Reyes.
Word of the guilty plea spread throughout Berwick Jonathan Nespoli owns a jewelry store and says his town is still trying to heal from that violent day.
“There were a lot of people affected a lot of people who went through a lot of hardship. Close to the victims those who were there. Those who know the victims. It’s been rough for this community. To see something come to a close something tragic like that gives people a little way to move on,” explained Nespoli.
Below you can find a video of Sura Reyes leaving court Tuesday morning.
