Deadly Boat Collision

[Freesail99]

I saw this on another forum.

OSWEGO, N.Y. (AP) - A man charged in a deadly boat collision is
rejecting a plea deal that would have brought him up to four years
in state prison.
Prosecutors say 21-year-old Brad Bouthillier of Cicero was
partying with friends and kissing a woman sitting on his lap
moments before the crash that killed 85-year-old fisherman John
Kowalewski last summer on Oneida Lake.
Bouthillier is also accused of fleeing the scene without getting
help for Kowalewski. Another boater found Kowalewski dead inside
his drifting boat about two hours after the accident.
Prosecutors wanted him to plead guilty to criminally negligent
homicide Monday. Oswego County Judge Walter Hafner says any deal he
accepts must include prison time for Bouthillier.

__________________

[chucklesR]

Why is the prosecutor even trying for a deal? Throw the book at him with maximum prison time.

[teshannon]

Ditto that in spades Chuckles.

[Valiente]

He'll be really popular in the yard.

[sck5]

This happened near me and I have seen all the local press. This guy should have taken a deal because any jury around here is going to find him guilty in about two seconds. The guy is a drunken irresponsible ******* and from what I have seen, even if they put a suit on him for court he wont go over well with judge or jury.

I am not sure why they tried for a deal. Maybe because there are no eyewitnesses apart from the jerk and his girlfriend? The guy is claiming it wasnt his fault (of course)

[Rockter]

He left the scene.
Then claimed it was not his fault?

[PorFin]

1. If sck has accurately judged the potential juror pool, I'm very thankful the guy rejected the plea deal -- he deserves to spend as many days behind bars (and in front of cell mates) as is possible.

2. I'm also troubled by the DA's office offering a plea deal. What, do they think that just because the victim was elderly that his death is less worthy of punishment than a teenager's would have been?

Please keep the board updated as this case goes forward!

[sailaway21]

Barely enough facts for us to go jumping off half-cocked. Not that that's ever been an impediment. I've no opinion until I read a great deal more. I suspect there's more to it, there usually is. On the other hand....

[xort]

Plea deals are the norm for prosecuters that want a guarantee and a quick resolution. The criminal justice system is not about justice. This clown just pissed off the whole system and he'll be sorry he did.

[Danny33]

If he is in a plea bargen in New York ..They got him hard !
Just trying to save the tax payers money .
If the case goes to trial he will a lot more time ...is uasally the case .

ITs most likely the degree of this mans death will mostly be the time he spends in prison .. Its a hit and run with a death involved .

Sounds like the people with him or near by ..talked ...just sit back and see ..