Mass. teen found guilty in fatal texting while driving crash
Legal panel weighs in on the verdict
HAVERHILL, Mass. – A Massachusetts teenager who became the first person in the state convicted of causing a traffic death while texting has been sentenced to a year in jail.
Aaron Deveau of Haverhill was sentenced Wednesday to 2 1/2 years behind bars with a year to serve and the remainder suspended and lost his license for 15 years.
A jury earlier Wednesday convicted the 18-year-old Deveau of motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation while texting.
Deveau testified in his own defense Tuesday and said he was not sending or receiving text messages in the moments before the head-on collision in February 2011.
Police say the then 17-year-old Deveau crossed the center line and collided with a car driven by 55-year-old Donald Bowley Jr. of Danville, N.H.
Prosecutors say Bowley died 18 days later of injuries suffered in the crash.
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