Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, the West Springfield man accused of killing seven motorcyclists in a June crash in New Hampshire, has been indicted on several charges including manslaughter.
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Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald and Coos County Attorney John McCormick announced the indictments Monday afternoon.
Zhukovskyy, 23, has been indicted on seven counts of manslaughter, seven counts of negligent homicide – DUI, seven counts of negligent homicide, one count of aggravated driving while intoxicated and one count of reckless conduct.
Zhukovskyy will be arraigned in the Coos Superior Court on Nov. 5.
Authorities accuse Zhukovskyy of being under the influence of a controlled drug or drugs at the time of the June 21 crash on Route 2 in Randolph, New Hampshire.
A report from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Zhukovskyy tested positive for some type of narcotic or amphetamine at the time of the crash.
Zhukovskyy told investigators he reached down to get something in his truck before he struck the oncoming motorcycle riders, according to documents unsealed earlier this month.
Seven members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club were killed in the crash and others were injured.
Those killed include Michael Ferazzi, 62, of Contoocook, New Hampshire; Albert Mazza Jr., 59, of Lee, New Hampshire; Desma Oakes, 42, of Concord, New Hampshire; Aaron Perry, 45, of Farmington, New Hampshire; Daniel Pereira, 58, of Riverside, Rhode Island; and Jo-Ann and Edward Corr, both 58, of Lakeville, Massachusetts.
New Hampshire State Trooper Brandon Girardi said troopers spoke to Volodymyr Zhukovskyy after the crash.
Zhukovskyy told the investigators he “reached downward and attempted to retrieve an object from the bottom area of the center console of his vehicle,” the supporting affidavit for an arrest warrant said.
“Mr. Zhukovskyy stated that while his attention was diverted from the road, his vehicle crossed leftwards into the lane of oncoming traffic, colliding with oncoming motorists,” the trooper wrote.
Investigators learned about Zhukovskyy’s history of driving infractions in different parts of the country. He was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 with an attached trailer for Westfield Transport Inc. of West Springfield, a company with a history of federal violations.
The company’s owner, Dartanyan Gasanov, dissolved the company while facing lawsuits in connection with the deadly crash.
Zhukovskyy had an OUI arrest out of Connecticut at the time of the horrific crash. The arrest should have triggered a suspension of his license, but the out-of-state violation was never processed by MassDOT.
MassDOT discovered a backlog out thousands of out of state violations and are now working to rectify the lack of oversight.
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