Attleboro Man Sentenced to Prison for Fatal Drunk Driving Crash in Norton
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
Press Release
November 21, 2023
A 63-year-old Attleboro man whose drunk driving in June of 2020 caused the death of a rear seat passenger in his car was recently sentenced to serve five to seven years in state prison after pleading guilty to two indictments in Fall River Superior Court, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
Russell Stone pled guilty to charges of Manslaughter while OUI and OUI with Serious Bodily Injury.
On June 7, 2020 at around 3:51 pm, Norton police responded to Oak Street after receiving a 911 call regarding a single vehicle crash. Witnesses on scene reported a female front seat passenger got out of the vehicle screaming that she told Stone to slow down in the moments before he crashed his vehicle into a tree. When first responders arrived on scene, they found Therea McNutt, 36, of Attleboro unconscious in the back seat of the defendant’s car. She had suffered severe head trauma and was declared deceased at the scene.
During the investigation by Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to DA Quinn’s office and Norton Police, several empty nip bottles were found in the vehicle. Those bottles were tested for DNA, which matched that of the defendant. The defendant was brought to the hospital after the crash and a blood test showed his blood alcohol level at .184, more than twice the legal limit. Further investigation revealed the defendant was driving 51 mph in a 30 mph zone.
The female front seat passenger suffered a fractured spine and three fractures in her left arm as a result of the crash. She also reported to police that the defendant was screaming in the moments leading up to the crash that he wanted to die.
The case was prosecuted by Co-First Assistant District Attorney Karen O’Sullivan and the state prison sentence was imposed by Judge Daniel O’Shea.
“The defendant should not have been behind the wheel because of his intoxicated state. His reckless driving caused the death of an innocent person. The sentence is appropriate to hold the defendant accountable,” District Attorney Quinn said.
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
774-292-9576