(WJAR) — A New York man was sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to causing a drunk driving crash in Somerset that killed three people on Christmas Day 2023.
Adam Gauthier, 43, was charged with three counts of manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence, along with two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. According to authorities, he was driving the wrong way on the Veterans Memorial Bridge when he collided head-on with another vehicle.
The crash resulted in the deaths of Floriano Arruda, his wife Donna, and their 17-year-old grandson, Jacoby. The Arruda family expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, stating it should have been longer. “I think he should've got the 15 years, five-minimum per person,” said Lisa Napert, Floriano's daughter.
Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn also suggested the sentence could have been greater but acknowledged accountability with Gauthier's guilty plea. Witnesses reported seeing smoke from the crash scene, which they described as traumatic and preventable.
Gauthier's actions caused devastating consequences for the Arruda family, who plan to advocate for stricter laws regarding manslaughter associated with drunk driving in Massachusetts.