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Brockway man sentenced in DUI crash that killed two |
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Local Content -
Local News
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Written by Larry McGuire
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Wednesday, 23 December 2009 |
BROOKVILLE — A Brockway man was sentenced to 14 1/2 to 30 years in state prison after pleading guilty to two counts of homicide by motor vehicle and one count of aggravated assault in the death of two women who were killed in an accident March 21, 2008, along Route 219 south of Brockway in Snyder Township.
Eric Patrick Veltri, 34, Brockway, pleaded guilty last week to charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances in the deaths of two sisters, Connie J. Bailey, 29, Brockway, and Karen J. Peters, 39, Newark, Del.
Veltri also pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI for major injuries suffered by Delora J. Burrow-Bradish, 40, Bradford, the driver of the vehicle.
DuBois-based Pennsylvnaia State Police reported that Veltri was driving his pick-up truck south when he failed to negotiate a right bend in the road, causing his truck to cross into oncoming traffic, where it struck the car driven by Burrow-Bradish, who was traveling north.
Fighting back tears, Veltri said prior to his sentencing Monday that there isn’t a day that goes by that he hasn’t regretted what happened that night.
“I would never do something like this intentionally,” he said. “If I could trade places with the victims, I would.
“I know you hate me. I don’t blame you,” he said to the victims’ families. “I want be held accountable for my actions.”
Veltri said he hoped that when he has finally paid his debt to society, he could go to high schools and speak to students about not making the same mistakes he has made.
His father, Joe Veltri, asked Judge John H. Foradora to show leniency.
“I can’t change any of this,” he said. “Please be lenient to my son. He is the only one I have.”
District Attorney Jeff Burkett said that Veltri had entered an open plea, and there were no negotiations on the sentence, except for dropping the third-degree murder charges.
Burkett asked Foradora for the maximum amount on each count.
“I have no doubt that Mr. Veltri is remorseful, but this is a matter of retribution,” he said. “I’ve never seen a case like this that is so surrounded by sadness.
“Lives have been altered forever,” Burkett said. “This is a sad, sad day, but it is for just such a day our court system exists.”
Burkett added that no one deserves to have this happen to them.
“Two mommies were taken from their children,” he said. “Two husbands lost their wives. They had to tell their families. I can’t imagine how they can go on with the business of surviving. They are better men than me.”
As he began sentencing Veltri, Foradora said he was at a loss for words when it comes to these two deaths.
“Brockway is a small town, and the Bailey family is well-known throughout the area. This accident was one incident in the series of tragedies that occurred that year in Brockway,” he said, referring to an April 3, 2008, house fire in which 10 people died.
Foradora said the pre-sentence investigation performed by Jefferson County Adult Probation office noted that Veltri had no recollection of the events that occurred that night, and that his speed was excessive.
Prior to the accident, Veltri was gainfully employed, had no prior record and was honorably discharged from the Air Force.
“Your BAC was three times the legal limit, which leads me to reject the pre-sentence recommendations as not being appropriate in this case,” Foradora said. “Because of the extraordinary circumstances that surround this case, there are certain guidelines that need to be followed due to aggravating factors.”
He said the first factor was that Veltri’s blood alcohol content was three times over the limit. The second factor was that Veltri was driving 79 mph in a 45 mph zone.
Foradora sentenced Veltri to serve 58 months to 10 years in state prison for each of the three counts.
The sentences will run consecutively with a range of 14 1/2 to 30 years.
Veltri must pay a $1,500 fine; a $100 victim/witness fee; a $208 sheriff’s transport fee; a $70 lab fee; a $300 Act 198 fee; a $250 DNA Draw fee; and $15,940 restitution to the family on the first homicide.
On the second homicide, Veltri must pay a fine of $500 and restitution to the family in the amount of $2,910.
Foradora said that the third aggravating factor in deciding Veltri’s sentence was the number of injuries sustained by Delora Burrow-Bradish, the driver of the other vehicle, when she read her victim impact statement to the court last week.
Foradora said he couldn’t remember ever having a victim explain so many injuries, right down to her senses having been altered because of the accident.
In the aggravated assault case, Veltri was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $46,475 and a fine of $500.
Ralph Montana, Veltri’s attorney, said his client was guilty of “15 seconds of mis-judgement,” that altered his life and the lives of others forever.
Montana countered testimony that Veltri had retained his car keys the night of the accident when asked to surrender them to another person.
“That is simply untrue,” he said. “That witness was less than credible.”
Montana also countered testimony that Veltri was seen consuming alcohol at the Sons of Italy club in Brockway after the accident.
Veltri said he was at the club to console victims of a fire in Brockway.
“He is a good person who exercised bad judgment,” Montana said.
“I wish I could take this sentence and post it in every bar and club,” Foradora added. “Too many people think this couldn’t happen to them. It can.”
Veltri told his family as he was being returned to the Jefferson County jail that they will make it through this tragedy.
“We have to,” he said.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 December 2009 )
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