Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that today Daniel Gautreau (age 23), with a last known address of 64 Bohlander Street, Warwick, pleaded nolo contedere before Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers to DUI death resulting and driving to endanger bodily injury resulting for the June 19, 2014 crash on Mineral Spring Avenue in North Providence that killed passenger 21 year old Dominic Guziejka and injured passenger Christopher Ruffe.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Gautreau was sentenced to 15 years with eight years to serve (the first four years will be served at the ACI followed by four years home confinement) and remainder suspended with probation. In addition, Gautreau was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, undergo a substance evaluation, and had his license suspended for five years once he is released from home confinement.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on June 19, 2014, at approximately 12: 30 a.m., Mr. Gautreau, driving a 1996 Honda Civic, was heading east on Mineral Spring Avenue in North Providence. Near where Easter Street intersects with Mineral Spring Avenue, the defendant attempted to pass another motor vehicle in the center turning lane when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a telephone pole. Mr. Guziejka, who was sitting in the backseat, was ejected from the vehicle and fatally injured. Mr. Ruffe was sitting in the front passenger seat and sustained moderate, non-life threatening injuries.
Mr. Gautreau was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and consented to have blood drawn to check his alcohol level. The test showed his blood alcohol level to be .160, two times the legal limit.
"A night of celebration with friends quickly turned deadly because the defendant mad the choice to drive drunk," said Attorney General Peter Kilmartin. "That decision left one person dead and a family left to grieve a son and brother."
The North Providence Police led the investigation with assistance from the Rhode Island State Police, who conducted the accident reconstruction work. Assistant Attorney General John Corrigan prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.