Oshua Goncalves-Radding sentenced to prison for causing fiery crash that killed 4 people​ – NECN

The driver who caused a fiery crash that killed four Maine Maritime Academy classmates in December 2022 was sentenced to three years in prison for manslaughter at his sentencing Friday.

Joshua Goncalves-Radding, of North Babylon, New York, pleaded guilty in Hancock County Court to 13 counts, including involuntary manslaughter and aggravated driving while intoxicated. In addition to his three-year prison sentence, Goncalves-Redding was sentenced to three years of probation and his license was suspended for 10 years, NBC10 Boston affiliate News Center Maine reports.

He was traveling between 106 mph and 180 mph before the SUV hit a tree and caught fire, traveling nearly 60 feet through the air and traveling almost the length of a football field, investigators said.

Those killed were Brian Kenealy, 20, of York, Maine; Chase Fossett, 21, of Gardiner, Maine; Luke Simpson, 22, of Rockport, Massachusetts; and Riley Ignacio-Cameron, 20, of Aquinnah, Mass., officials said.

The accident occurred after students were discharged following the last day of classes of the semester. Goncalves-Radding, who was under 21 at the time of the crash, had alcohol and marijuana in his system, according to police, WJAR reports.

Goncalves-Radding showed remorse by issuing an emotional statement in which he took responsibility and apologized to the families.

“I wish I had died that day, and often I still feel that way,” Goncalves-Radding said. “I have to have a life and I took my friends’ lives.”

The parents of Fossett, who died in the crash, called for a more lenient sentence for Goncalves-Radding and hugged him in tears during the break.

“I had this overwhelming feeling that I had to live in love and light for Chase. Chase wouldn't want us to hold on to anger,” Laura Fossett said. “It was a tragedy. He loved everyone in that car and no one wanted this to happen.”

“This was a situation in which a good person made a horrible decision that cost the lives of four of his best friends,” said District Attorney Robert C. Granger. “No sentence the state could recommend or the court could impose can rival that of itself. -Convicted defendant recounts every day he wakes up: he realizes he's killed his four best friends and injured two others.

Two other students survived, besides Goncalves-Radding. The Land Rover the students were in belonged to the father of one of them, Dominick Gecoya, of Middleton, Massachusetts. The other survivor was Noelle Tavares, 20, of North Falmouth, Massachusetts.

According to WJAR, the judge said he took into account Goncalves-Radding's age at the time of the incident, the fact that he had a clean criminal record and a clean criminal record, as well as the fact that he was educated, sought advice and took responsibility when deciding his sentence. .

Goncalves-Radding reported to the prison directly after his sentencing, WJAR reports.