HAVERHILL, Mass. — A Haverhill teen will spend a year in jail and lose his license for 15 years after a jury found him guilty of texting while driving in a crash that led to twe death of a Danville, N.H., man.In a landmark case, a jury in Haverhill District Court found Aaron Deveau, 18, guilty of motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation causing bodily injury due to electronic messaging.
Deveau is the first person to be tried and convicted under a Massachusetts law banning texting while driving that went into effect in 2010. New Hampshire enacted a similar law that same year.
Judge Stephen Abany offered a stern warning to other texting drivers.
“The basic lesson in this case is for people to keep their eyes on the road,” he said as Deveau was sentenced in an emotionally-charged courtroom filled with tears from the family of the teen who was 17 at the time of the accident and family members of victim Donald Bowley Jr.
The crash happened Feb. 20, 2011, in Haverhill when Deveau crossed into oncoming traffic and struck Bowley's vehicle nearly head-on. Bowley, 55, died 18 days later in the hospital while his girlfriend, Luz Roman, 58, of Haverhill, survived but suffered serious injuries.
Deveau, who has denied he was texting despite phone records showing texts being sent and received around the time of the accident, appeared calm and showed little emotion as he apologized to Bowley's family.
“I want to apologize to the family,” he said. “I made a mistake. If I could take that back I would take it back.”
Jurors reached their verdict after deliberating for only a few hours on Tuesday and another hour Wednesday morning.
Deveau was sentenced to 2
Deveau is the first person to be tried and convicted under a Massachusetts law banning texting while driving that went into effect in 2010. New Hampshire enacted a similar law that same year.
Judge Stephen Abany offered a stern warning to other texting drivers.
“The basic lesson in this case is for people to keep their eyes on the road,” he said as Deveau was sentenced in an emotionally-charged courtroom filled with tears from the family of the teen who was 17 at the time of the accident and family members of victim Donald Bowley Jr.
The crash happened Feb. 20, 2011, in Haverhill when Deveau crossed into oncoming traffic and struck Bowley's vehicle nearly head-on. Bowley, 55, died 18 days later in the hospital while his girlfriend, Luz Roman, 58, of Haverhill, survived but suffered serious injuries.
Deveau, who has denied he was texting despite phone records showing texts being sent and received around the time of the accident, appeared calm and showed little emotion as he apologized to Bowley's family.
“I want to apologize to the family,” he said. “I made a mistake. If I could take that back I would take it back.”
Jurors reached their verdict after deliberating for only a few hours on Tuesday and another hour Wednesday morning.
Deveau was sentenced to 2