Motor Vehicle Homicide Case in Seekonk, MA
Criminal Charges:
Man charged in the Taunton District Court, Bristol County, Massachusetts for:
- Motor Vehicle Homicide by Negligent Operation, in violation of M.G.L. c. 90, § 24G(b)
Case Overview:
A man was driving approximately 72 mph in a 65-mph zone on Route 195 in Seekonk, MA. He was bringing his 20-year-old daughter, the front seat passenger, to school in Swansea, MA. Up ahead, there was a roadside fire, and all vehicles were directed to merge into one lane which caused traffic to slow and many vehicles to come to a stop. The man, who was not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol, had just finished a call with his girlfriend, and due to inattentiveness, failed to appreciate the traffic ahead in a timely manner. He quickly slammed on his brakes, but it was too late. His large truck slammed into the small vehicle in front of him triggering a 4-car collision. In the back seat of the vehicle that he struck was a 16-year-old girl who sustained life-ending injuries. The man was charged with Motor Vehicle Homicide by Negligent Operation in Taunton District Court. He retained Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyer, John L. Calcagni III, to represent him in his case.
Case Result: Probation.
After reviewing a high volume of evidence, including accident reconstructions reports, cell phone extractions, and more, Attorney Calcagni and his team consulted their own accident reconstruction expert in preparation for trial. On the morning of the trial, to resolve the case, the client admitted guilt to the charged offense. Attorney Calcagni and the prosecutor presented the Court with their competing sentencing recommendations. The Commonwealth sought jail followed by probation whereas Attorney Calcagni asked the Court to sentence his client to only probation. Following heart wrenching victim impact statements and presentations by the attorneys, the judge sided with Attorney Calcagni’s recommendation, over everyone’s objections, and imposed a sentence of probation for 3 years.