http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...e-driving?lite


Massachusetts teen sentenced to prison for texting while driving

By Andrew Mach
A Massachusetts teenager was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison and loss of his license for 15 years for causing a fatal crash by texting while driving.


Follow @msnbc_usAaron Deveau, 18, was convicted of motor vehicle homicide by texting – the first driver in Massachusetts to face such charges, the Boston Globe reported. Prosecutors said Deveau, who pleaded not guilty, was texting on Feb. 20, 2011, when his vehicle swerved across the center line of a Haverhill, Mass., street and crashed head on into Daniel Bowley’s truck, killing the 55-year-old New Hampshire father of three.

Before imposing the maximum sentence on Deveau, District Court Judge Stephen Abany said he was sending a message of deterrence to Massachusetts drivers.

Deterrence “really seems to come to play in this case,’’ Abany said, according to the Globe report. “People really want to be safe on the highways.’’ People need to “keep their eyes on the road, keep their eyes on the road.’’

David Teater, senior director of transportation initiative at the National Safety Council, agreed with the ruling and said he believes it’s important to take a hardline approach on cases of texting while driving.

“People can violate these laws and there really isn’t much of a deterrence without examples like this,” Teater told msnbc.com. “Clearly, being distracted is an extremely deadly thing that’s going on in this country and people need to understand they just can’t do it.”

Deveau, who was 17 at the time of the crash, was initially charged with motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, using a mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle, reading or sending an electronic message, a marked lanes violation and two counts of negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use.

Deveau’s lawyer argued there was no evidence that the crash caused Bowley’s death. In his own testimony, Deveau said he was distracted by the amount of homework he had to do and sent his last text message while parked in the parking lot of the grocery store where he worked. Furthermore, he said he left his phone in the passenger’s seat until after the crash when he called his parents.

Though he insisted he was not texting at the time of the crash and could not remember texting while driving, phone records indicate Deveau sent a text message at 2:34 p.m. and received a response at 2:35 p.m. Police said the crash occurred at 2:35 p.m., ABCNews.com reported.

“I made a mistake,’’ Deveau told the judge, according to the Globe. “If I could take it back, I would take it back. I just want to apologize to the family.’’

A survivor of the crash – Bowley’s girlfriend, Luz Roman – said she suffered emotional and physical stress after the crash and death of Bowley, the father of her three children.

“This has been giving me a lot of pain, there are no words to describe,’’ Roman said, according to the Globe. “Broken leg, broken heart.’’

“We hope this sends a message that it’s not OK to text and drive,’’ Burleigh said, according to the Globe.

Texting while driving is a crime in Washington, D.C., and 38 states, including Massachusetts.

“This is a threat that did not exist just a few years ago, and we’ve never had to understand how being connected to a mobile world was dangerous,” Teater told msnbc.com. “Unfortunately now the way we’re beginning to understand the danger of it is by people getting hurt and dying. And that needs to change.”

 

Now if they would start putting idoits away like that here in California this state would be a much safer place.

 

texting and driving is not worth two years of your life. hope people wake up

 

Only two years

 

so happy to hear this. I read an article about this yesterday and was pleased that some type of justice was done. I still think the sentence wasnt long enough

 

Its sad both ways, texting is the new trend and its taken people lives away. Iphone has siri people really should start using it.

 

vehicular manslaughter is vehicular manslaughter, not sure why they are making such a big deal out of this

 

The only way, that people will start spending life in prison for these crimes, is when many more politicians start getting run over and killed by drivers that are intoxicated or text while driving.

 

Better than nothing

 

That would be a win win for the people......

 

that's what I said too

a father of 3 is now dead while this pos gets out in 2 years, who knows, maybe even sooner for "good behavior"

Verrrrry true. If it hasn't affected them in anyway, so they're not going to give a rat's *** about anyone else.
When their kids get run over a texter, we'll see how they'll push for the death penalty.

If only the sentence is much harsher, people will think twice about committing these acts/crime.

 

You sir, win the Post of the Week Award.

 

x2

 

You're forgetting the other 13.......he lost his license for 15 years.

Sure, after he gets out of jail in two years (or maybe sooner with parole), he could drive with a revoked license like some people do, but I wouldn't want to be in his shoes if he gets caught. And, at age 33, he's going to have to learn how to drive all over again........... (and who knows what kind of cars will be on the road then?)

 

wow I wasnt aware that they took his license for 15 years. That will impact his life probably more than the 2 years sentence. He will not be able to work, make money, or go anywhere.