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May 11, 2008 8:13 am US/Eastern
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Driver Found Guilty In Crash That Killed 5
TOLEDO, Ohio (WJZ) ―
The man responsible for the deaths of five members of a Parkville, Maryland family could spend up to 50 years in prison.
Kathryn Brown reports, Michael Gagnon pleaded no contest and was found guilty on all seven charges against him.
The drunk-driving, wrong-way crash took the lives of five members of the Griffin family.
In an Ohio courtroom, 24-year-old Michael Gagnon soberly pleaded no contest, but he didn't offer any insight into the night he shattered the lives of a Parkville family.
Gagnon spent the night of December 20 at a bar ordering five buckets of beer and 10 tequila shots.
He then stumbled to his pick-up truck and speeding the wrong way down a Toledo interstate, finally crashed into a van filled with eight members of a Maryland family returning home from a holiday vacation.
"He asked him how he was, and he said, 'I'm wasted', and they asked him again, are you hurt, and he said, 'no, I'm wasted,'" said a prosecutor.
Those who died include 37-year-old Bethany Griffin, her 10-year-old daughter Hailey, seven-year-old Lacy, and her step daughter 10-year-old Jordan, and her eight-week-old daughter Vaddie.
Gagnon suffered a cut on the chin.
"It doesn't even surprise me that he lived and took so many that quick," said one family member.
Bethany's husband Danny and two other children in the van survived.
Friday, Danny was in the courtroom clutching a necklace to his lips and wiping away tears as Gagnon was found guilty.
At the Griffin's Parkville home, where a front yard flag still flies at half-staff, neighbors were disappointed that Gagnon could spend up to 50 years in jail.
"There can't even be enough years in prison because he killed that many people. He killed an entire family," said neighbor Marcella Tambini.
"I think he should have the death penalty," said neighbor Tim Ryan.
"Knowing the family, what was taken away, and 50 years for five lives? You might as well say all those lives because those who survived will never be the same," said neighbor Mary Colacioppo.
Brett Burkman, 17, was the only member of that Parkville family who was not on the trip. He says he is still not ready to speak publicly about the accident.
Michael Gagnon is set to be sentenced late next month.
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