Mother, Son Avoid Prison for Avon Mountain Crash
By LEANNE GENDREAU and DEBRA ALFARONE
Updated 3:24 PM EDT, Tue, Jun 30, 2009
Neither Shaun Wilcox nor Donna Wilcox will serve prison time for their roles in a 2005 dump truck crash that killed four on Avon Mountain and injured 11 others.
Donna Wilcox received a five-year suspended sentence and three years probation Tuesday. Donna's son, Sean, was sentenced to five years suspended sentence and three years probation Tuesday.
Donna Wilcox deserves to be punished, but by suspended sentence, the judge said. Her actions were unlawful, deceptive and improper conduct but, they do not warrant a prison sentence, the judge said.
Sean Wilcox pleaded guilty in March to tampering with evidence and conspiring to tamper with evidence. This is not a case of where the cover-up is worse than the crime, the judge said.
“This young man made a terrible mistake. He did it at the direction of his father. If his father told him to jump off the bridge in East Hartford, I assure you he would,” Sean Wilcox’s attorney said.
Shaun Wilcox’s father, David Wilcox, was sentenced recently to six years behind bars.
David Wilcox owned Bloomfield-based American Crushing & Recycling and the truck at the time of the fiery crash on Avon Mountain on July 29, 2005.
The truck was traveling down a steep, curvy stretch of road when the brakes failed, causing a catastrophic 20-vehicle wreck that trapped some victims in their burning cars or buried them under mounds of dirt, tree trimmings and concrete that spilled from the overturned dump truck.
Others were critically injured when the vehicles, including a commuter bus, slammed into each other.
Donna Wilcox, pleaded no contest to attempted insurance fraud, attempted larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny. She will also be sentenced Tuesday.
She tearfully addressed the court before sentencing.
"I've been sorry from day one. … If I could, I'd take back everything I've ever done to everyone, I would. ... I never intended for anyone to die or get hurt. ....Judge, just give me the chance to live my life."
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Connecticut
First Published: Jun 30, 2009 6:23 AM EDT
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
