Bombardier found guilty of manslaughter

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September 2, 2010

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG Staff Writer The Press Republican Thu Sep 02, 2010, 06:02 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — Josh Bombardier has been found guilty of manslaughter and other charges for a February 2009 high-speed crash that killed a local mother and two teens.

After two days of testimony and eight hours of deliberations, the jury returned the verdict at about 5 p.m. Thursday.

CLEARED OF TOP CHARGE

The 19-year-old West Chazy resident showed no reaction when he was cleared of the top charge of vehicular homicide and then convicted on three counts of second-degree manslaughter.

He was also found guilty of third-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and driving while under the influence of alcohol in connection with the deaths of Veronica LeClair; her son, Stephen M. Foster, 15; and her stepson, Travis L. LeClair.

The assault charge referred to the injuries Kyle Bushey suffered during the crash, which left the 18-year-old hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury for several weeks.

The verdict left many in the courtroom in tears, including Bombardier’s supporters and members of the victims’ families.

COULD GET 5-15 YEARS

Clinton County Assistant District Attorney Doug Collyer, who prosecuted the case, said the verdict poses an indeterminate sentence of five to 15 years in prison.

Bombardier, who was released on $5,000 bail following his December arrest, will remain free pending his Dec. 6 sentencing.

Outside the courtroom, he emotionally embraced his supporters before leaving the building without comment.

FOCUS ON DRIVER

His attorney, Tina Soloski, had urged jurors to clear the teen of all charges, alleging that Mrs. LeClair had been driving her Mustang when it veered off Route 11 at 90 mph and flipped several times.

No one inside the vehicle was wearing a seat belt, and everyone inside was thrown from the wreckage as it overturned.

Only Bombardier and Bushey survived.

Initially, police believed Mrs. LeClair had been driving, but after months of further investigation, Bombardier became their prime suspect.

No physical evidence could identify who drove that fateful day, but as Bushey recovered from his injuries, he said he remembered that Bombardier was the behind the wheel, not Mrs. LeClair, who was a local study-hall teacher.

Other evidence supported the new information and led to Bombardier’s arrest, indictment and subsequent conviction.

Bushey was one of the strongest prosecution witnesses to take the stand this week, and he was visibly moved by the jury’s verdict.

He left the courthouse solemnly with members of the victims’ families.

Collyer said he hopes the December sentencing can bring some sense of closure for everyone involved.

E-mail Andrea VanValkenburg at:

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com