|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Killer gets off with 1-3 years
Speed killed, driver admits
Joshua Paniccia struck bicyclist while going over 80 mph; faces 1 to 3 years By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer First published: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 BALLSTON SPA -- An 18-year-old Niskayuna man admitted in court on Tuesday that he hit and killed a bicyclist while speeding at more than 80 mph after a friend in another vehicle last June. Joshua Paniccia pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in Saratoga County Court, a felony, and will be sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison on June 6 for causing the death of David Ryan, 32. A separate charge of second-degree manslaughter was dropped. That charge carried a jail term of up to 15 years. Prosecutors required Paniccia to detail his actions of June 29, when he lost control of his 2002 Nissan Sentra going east on Riverview Road in Rexford and smashed into Ryan, a General Electric physicist from England who was traveling west on an after-work bike ride. "I was driving my vehicle on a road a little too fast and hit and killed Mr. Ryan," Paniccia told the court. Asked by Saratoga County Assistant District Attorney Jim Davis if he was chasing another vehicle, Paniccia replied, "I was catching up to someone." When asked if he traveling in excess of 80 mph, he replied, "Yes." Riverview Road's speed limit is 45 mph. The State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit estimated Paniccia was traveling at least 83 mph at the time of impact, Davis said. "I think 83 mph is more than a little fast," District Attorney James A. Murphy III said afterward. He called the plea the first one in Saratoga County involving street racing and a fatal crash. "We held Mr. Paniccia accountable for his criminal conduct," Murphy said. The manslaughter charge was hard to prove because the case did not involve drugs or alcohol, and prosecutors could not establish that a speed contest took place, Murphy said. The conviction sends a message that drivers must obey the speed limit, he said. Paniccia could have received 1 to 4 years under the charge he pleaded to. Ryan's parents, Tom and Anne Ryan, who live in England and did not attend the proceeding, disapproved of the agreement in a prepared statement. "We feel that a four-year sentence would only be a token and any less would cause us considerable grief. Not only was David young, but he was achieving outstanding results for GE, so much so that a project on which he was working has been named after him by his colleagues. As a family, we miss him so much." "He elected to enter that plea and accept responsibility for the situation," Paniccia's attorney Charles Wilcox said. "It's not a happy day for either family." Paniccia left the courtroom without a comment, sheltered by his father from television cameras. Judge Jerry J. Scarano said he would consider youthful offender status in the case. If granted, his criminal record would be sealed after he serves his time, Murphy said. The teen also must pay $320 in court fees. Just 10 days prior to the fatal accident, Niskayuna police ticketed Paniccia for road racing, speeding and misuse of dealer license plates, prosecutors said. Police in Colonie and Schenectady had also ticketed Paniccia for speeding. He was acquitted on the road racing charge, and two of his speeding tickets were pleaded down to traffic and moving violations, according to court papers. State cycling groups and Ryan's friends turned the case into campaigns for safer roads and eliminating the pleading down of speeding tickets to non-moving violations. Walter Ciccha, one of Ryan's best friends and colleagues, said Tuesday that he would continue lobbying the state Legislature for changes. "Parents have to take more responsibility for what their kids are doing," Ciccha said. "This was preventable and I want to make sure it bloody doesn't happen again." http://www.timesunion.com/aspstories...StoryID=342295 |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
The number of years - too short? Sometimes! | Maggie | General | 2 | January 29th 05 11:37 PM |
New Years Day century | David Kerber | Rides | 6 | January 8th 05 12:35 PM |
Dmitri Neliubin killed on New Year's Day | Carl Sundquist | Racing | 7 | January 5th 05 05:24 PM |
New Year's Day 2005 Ride | Carol McLean | Unicycling | 13 | January 4th 05 03:21 AM |
"Actually you are the first person to bring up this issue" | James Annan | Techniques | 848 | April 6th 04 08:49 PM |