Vermont man pleads guilty in crash that killed his childhood friend
A Vermont man pleaded guilty Thursday in connection with the April 23 crash that killed his childhood friend, Craig Sampson, Jr., a sophomore at Endicott College in Beverly, the Essex District Attorney’s office said in a statement.Joseph Castano, 20, of Williston, Vermont, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of liquor. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison followed by three years of probation, during which he cannot drive, must remain drug and alcohol free, and has to submit to random screens. He will also automatically lose his license for 15 years, according to the statement.Castano was visiting Sampson when the crash happened around 12:15 a.m. on April 23. The DA’s office said witnesses observed Castano drinking heavily that night. He got into a fight with another student before driving away with Sampson in his BMW on Hale Street, next to the Endicott College campus, according to authorities.The DA’s office said Castano lost control of the car, which slid sideways down the road before crashing into a utility pole on the passenger side, killing Sampson. Castano’s blood alcohol level was later determined to be .22 percent, according to the statement.“Two families are devastated, one young life is lost and another forever changed, all because of alcohol,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement. “As the holidays approach and college students come home for break, I urge parents to talk with their children about drinking and driving and encourage them to ensure they have safe transportation home. This tragedy was entirely avoidable.”
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