Boater goes to prison for fatal collision in Maine
By The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine — A Massachusetts boater accused of causing a violent boat collision that claimed two lives on a western Maine lake is going to prison for 3½ years.
Robert LaPointe of Medway, Mass., was led away in handcuffs after his sentencing Wednesday on two counts of aggravated operating under the influence stemming from the crash on Long Lake in Harrison. A jury deadlocked on the more serious charges of manslaughter.
Prosecutors told jurors that LaPointe had been drinking all day and was operating his 32-foot boat, “No Patience,” in a reckless manner when it ran over a smaller boat and its two occupants.
At his sentencing in Cumberland County Superior Court, Justice Robert Crowley said LaPointe lied about his drinking and the speed of his boat to try to deflect responsibility.
“The defendant’s failure to take responsibility and his lack of remorse are stunning,” Crowley said.
Crowley imposed the maximum sentence of five years in prison but suspended a portion of the sentence. LaPointe also was ordered to serve two years of probation upon his release.
The collision on the moonless night of Aug. 11, 2007, killed Terry Raye Trott, 55, of Harrison, and Suzanne Groetzinger, 44, of Berwick.
LaPointe and his passenger survived being thrown from their boat, which sped ashore before coming to a rest more than 100 feet in the woods. A blood sample taken three hours after the crash indicated his blood-alcohol content was 0.11 percent, higher than the limit of 0.08 percent for operating a boat in Maine.
During LaPointe’s two-week trial, jurors had to sift through conflicting testimony on how fast LaPointe was driving his boat, how much beer he had consumed and whether the lights on Trott’s boat were working.
Prosecutors told jurors that LaPointe had been drinking all day before he drove his 32-foot boat, “No Patience,” with twin 435-horsepower engines into Trott’s smaller boat at a speed of 45 mph or faster.
LaPointe testified that he drank only three beers on the day of the accident and was operating his boat prudently. He maintained that he didn’t see the smaller boat because its lights weren’t operating.
The crash sparked debate on boating safety and whether it’s appropriate to have a boat capable of going 80 mph on a busy lake such as Long Lake, which is 11 miles long but barely a mile wide in places.
On 11/12/08 at 4:11 PM,
DowneastFF wrote:
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No, it is NOT appropriate for a boat to go 80mph on a moonless night! Whether the lights were working or not, which no one will ever know.. not even LaPointe because he was too intoxicated to acknowledge anything more than likely, a boat should NOT be going that fast even in the day light. Anything could happen. It's sad two people had to lose their life on this mans irresponsibility, and lack of brains to even put himself in this situation. Everyone makes mistakes, and this is a mistake yes, but he should own up, and he should serve the full 5 years.. which is a very minimal amount of time for manslaughter. Terry & Suzanne's families have to live the rest of their life without them, and may have left children parent-less.
It's a shame that druggies get more time than this when they didn't even kill anyone.
On 11/12/08 at 5:04 PM,
Cherry wrote:
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DowneastFF, don't you know selling weed is more of a crime than killing people? Can't have anyone high and happy, no way.
On 11/12/08 at 5:26 PM,
Ronald wrote:
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If LaPointe's demeanor, described by Judge Crowley, does not improve while he's in jail, he's in trouble.
On 11/12/08 at 6:19 PM,
gw2kpro wrote:
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He got off easy.
On 11/12/08 at 7:45 PM,
pcme2000 wrote:
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This is another sad day in Maines history. Another killer gets off with a less prison time then a drug dealer. How could the judge even think of suspending even one day of his time?
On the news tonight they said that the judge was blown away by how little remorse Robert LaPointe had for what he did that night. This guy should be kissing the judges butt for getting off with so little time for double murder!
On 11/12/08 at 11:17 PM,
jdboys wrote:
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First of all......... there should be no boats allowed out after dark....... But, he lied.... Bad thing...... he still Killed 2 people... We know he didn't do it on perpose.
he lied, and was going way too fast.. Also, he was drunk......
Hell, we'd get more time in jail for killing a moose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or selling dope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whats wrong with the justice system in maine?
On 11/13/08 at 4:48 AM,
clamchowdah wrote:
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LaPointe previously had 23 speeding tickets,5 failures to stop and 12 suspensions. The judge should have his privilage to drive anything that will go faster than 5 mph taken away for life. 3 1/2 years for killing two people is a slap on the wrist. Yep, another sad day in Maines history.
On 11/14/08 at 10:23 AM,
kateindfcity wrote:
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Yes, this is disgusting! This guy should have to do at least the 5 years. As the others have said, drugs and killing of off season animals get people more in trouble than this guy got. His non remorse for the death shows how much of a lowly individual he is. Just another yuppie M*!&^#% who thinks just because he comes here on vacation that he can do whatever the hell he wants. Guess this sends a message to all the others : Come to Maine, get wasted, and kill 2 people. All it will get you is 31/2 years in prison. This is just not justice.
On 11/14/08 at 3:09 PM,
RocklandPhil wrote:
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He'll really get his engine "revved up" in the slammer. He won't have to be drunk either ----just very agreeable.
On 11/18/08 at 10:51 AM,
localperson wrote:
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I agree...the sentence is excessively soft. His reckless actions killed two innocent people...the penalty should be much harder...and he should not be allowed to operate a boat in Maine again. Our justice system needs to change. This State attracts the wrong kind of people due to its poor justice system and easy access to welfare. Things need to change and it needs to happen soon.
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