A Stamford, Connecticut, man will spend three years behind bars in the death of his girlfriend in a drunk-driving accident.
The man, 37, was convicted of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle in the 2017 crash. He was sentenced to seven years and must serve three years in jail along with three years of probation. He has been jailed since February 2018 and has received credit for time served.
The crash occurred Aug. 26, 2017, on Interstate 95. The man was driving a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS, and the car flipped and landed on its roof on the exit ramp. A witness said the Mitsubishi was speeding and hit a rock, then flew in the air and flipped twice.
State police found the woman on the right shoulder of the road, and she was transported to Stamford Hospital. where she died 90 minutes later.
The man was still strapped in his seat when he was found. He suffered a hand injury and a minor head injury. The police report said the man smelled of alcohol. He was arrested the following February and charged with vehicular manslaughter, drunk driving and driving without a license.
His attorney commented on the man’s sentence.
“He is a hard working guy who obviously made a bad decision. It has been a long process since the incident happened and he has gotten some closure and we feel the sentence is fair in light of all the circumstances,” the attorney said.
The man has gotten closure, but perhaps the family of the woman hasn’t. They are entitled to seek compensation for the man’s “bad decision.”
