A former Mass State Police trooper accused of leaning over to kiss his girlfriend whereas driving on I-93, swerving and inflicting a crash that killed a motorcyclist has pleaded responsible.
Kristopher Carr, 29, has pleaded responsible to motorcar murder within the 2021 crash that killed 51-year-old Winthrop man Christopher Zike.
Carr was sentenced to 2.5 years within the Home of Correction, with 18 months to serve and the stability suspended for 3 years.
The decide additionally ordered a substance abuse analysis and any needed follow-up remedy. Underneath state regulation, Carr’s driver’s license might be suspended for 15 years.
Again on Oct. 29, 2021, State Police acquired a 911 name at round 1:25 a.m., for a crash on I-93 south in Boston.
An SUV and bike had crashed. Responding troopers discovered Carr, the driving force of the SUV, rendering assist to the motorcyclist, later recognized as Zike.
Zike was pronounced lifeless at Boston Medical Heart. Carr and his girlfriend had been handled for minor accidents at Mass Basic Hospital.
Carr, an off-duty state trooper on the time of the crash, had been driving the SUV together with his girlfriend within the entrance passenger seat.
“He leaned over to kiss his girlfriend, swerved and struck the median barrier, disabling the SUV in the leftmost two lanes of the highway,” the Suffolk DA’s workplace wrote. “Zike, who was driving to a 2 a.m. shift at Ikea in Stoughton, crashed into the SUV and was thrown from his motorcycle.”
Witness statements and video from a number of institutions confirmed that Carr consumed quite a few alcoholic drinks that evening.
Zike’s brother in courtroom described him as “a good person” and “fun,” who had a fantastic relationship with the brother’s daughter, Zike’s niece.
The brother mentioned Zike was “interested and invested in his community in Winthrop,” and that he planted a backyard on the Winthrop Senior Heart and was within the repurposing of college and park land.
“We were reminded in a most tragic way today how a few extremely bad decisions ended one life and impacted so many others,” mentioned Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden. “Christopher Zike’s life will be remembered and mourned by his family and friends while Kristopher Carr’s life will take a vastly different path than he likely intended, all due to his decisions and actions that night and morning.”