Crime

Man receives life sentence with chance for parole in 2019 crash that killed girl, 13

Gregory Goodsell, 36, was found guilty in a crash that killed 13-year-old Claire Zisserson and seriously injured two others.

Gregory Goodsell was sentenced to life in prison with a chance of parole after more than two decades behind bars for driving drunk during a 2019 crash that killed a 13-year-old girl. Greg Derr/Pool

By Eva Levin

October 3, 2024

2 minutes to read

A judge sentenced a Marshfield man to life in prison with the possibility of parole on Thursday for driving drunk in a 2019 crash that left a 13 year old girl dead, according to a statement from the Plymouth County District Attorney.

A jury found Gregory Goodsell, 36, guilty of second degree murder, driving while under the influence, and leaving a property damage scene, court documents said.

Judge Diane Freniere sentenced Goodsell to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years, followed by an eight-year sentence for seriously injuring Kendall Zemotel, 13, a passenger in the car. Since Goodsell had been held for the nearly five years of court proceedings, court documents showed he received a credit on those years. He will serve at least 23 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.

The facts of the crash

The DA said Goodsell left a company Christmas party for his employer, Hi-Way Safety Systems on December 29, 2019. Prosecutors said Goodsell was drunk and high before he got behind the wheel. He was driving on Route 139 in Pembroke when he crashed into a car containing three people, the DA said. Elizabeth Zisserson, 50, was driving her daughter Claire, 13, and Claire’s friend Kendall Zemotel, also 13, according to the indictment.

Pembroke police said they responded to the crash around 6:50 a.m. and transported all three victims to South Shore Hospital. First responders later took the two teens to Boston Children’s Hospital, where Claire died of her injuries, the statement said.

The DA said police found various alcohol containers in Goodsell’s car at the time of the crash. Police also found marijuana and a pipe. In addition, Goodsell was under the influence of cocaine during the crash, the DA said.

“Every decision comes with a consequence, and if Gregory Goodsell had made several different choices that fateful night, Claire would still be with us today,” Plymouth County DA Timothy J. Cruz said in a statement reported by The Boston Globe. “I am hopeful these two families and all that had their lives torn apart by this horrific crash can start to heal a bit, and feel some sense of closure with this sentencing.”

Representation for Goodsell did not immediately reply to a request for comment.