The driver who caused a fiery crash that killed four fellow Maine Maritime Academy students in December 2022 was ordered to serve three years in prison for manslaughter at his sentencing on Friday.
Joshua Goncalves-Radding, of North Babylon, New York, pleaded guilty in Hancock County court to 13 charges including manslaughter and aggravated drunken driving. In addition to his three-year prison sentence, Goncalves-Redding was sentenced to three years of probation and his license was suspended for 10 years, NBC10 Boston affiliate News Center Maine reports.
He was traveling at between 106 mph and 111 mph before the SUV struck a tree and caught fire, going nearly 60 feet airborne and traveling nearly the entire length of a football field, investigators said.
Those killed were Brian Kenealy, 20, of York, Maine; Chase Fossett, 21, of Gardiner, Maine; Luke Simpson, 22, of Rockport, Massachusetts; and Riley Ignacio-Cameron, 20, of Aquinnah, Massachusetts, officials said.
The crash happened after the students had gone out following the last day of classes for the semester. Goncalves-Radding, who was under the age of 21 at the time of the crash, had alcohol and marijuana in his system, according to police, WJAR reports.
Goncalves-Radding showed remorse as he gave an emotional statement in which he took accountability and apologized to the families.
"I wish I died that day, and many times I still feel that way," Goncalves-Radding said. "I get to have a life, and I took the life of my friends."
The parents of Fossett, who died in the crash, asked for a lenient sentence for Goncalves-Radding and tearfully hugged him during the break.
"I had this overwhelming feeling of needing to live in love and light for Chase. Chase wouldn't want us to hold on to anger," Laura Fossett said. "This was a tragedy. He loved everyone in that car, and no one wanted this to happen."
“This was a situation where a good person made a horrible decision that cost the lives of four of his best friends," said District Attorney Robert C. Granger. "No sentence the state could recommend or the court could impose can possibly rival the self-imposed sentence defendant recounts every day he wakes up: He faces the realization that he killed his four best friends and injured two others."
Two other students survived, in addition to Goncalves-Radding. The Land Rover the students were riding in was owned by the father of one of them, Dominick Gecoya, of Middleton, Massachusetts. The other survivor was Noelle Tavares, 20, of North Falmouth, Massachusetts.
According to WJAR, the judge said he considered Goncalves-Radding's age at the time of the incident, the fact that he had a clean driving and criminal record, and the fact that he is educated, seeking counseling, and taking accountability while deciding his sentencing.
Goncalves-Radding reported to prison directly after his sentencing, WJAR reports.
