A grieving Massachusetts family is trying to get things under control after a drunk driver killed a “sunny” 13-year-old girl in a cocaine-fueled crash.
Gregory Gussel, 36, attended his company's Christmas party in December 2019. Gussell was intoxicated and co-workers tried to stop him from driving, but he ignored them, police said. boston herald Previously reported.
“After Claire died, I didn't want to live.”
Gussel allegedly attended an afterparty at his home before getting behind the wheel of a company truck. Police said Mr. Gussel was driving a white Ford F-250 truck around 6:40 a.m. Dec. 29 when he crashed into a tree, damaging the passenger side headlight.
Gussel was reportedly drunk and high on cocaine in Pembroke when he ran a red light and crashed into a Subaru.
Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy's Office said, “Through evidence and interviews with witnesses, investigators determined that Gussell was under the influence of cocaine, intoxicated with a BAC of 0.266, and ran a red light at 107 miles per hour.'' “We have determined that Subaru was stolen from the company.” cruise said.
At the time of the crash, police found a bottle of whiskey, a can of beer, two nip bottles, marijuana, and a pipe inside Goodsell's car.
“I am [expletive] above. …I know I shouldn't have driven. …I can't believe I did this. …I drank too much, I'm really sorry. ” reportedly he told a police officer at the scene of the fatal accident.
Investigators determined that the Subaru in which Gussel was aide was driven by 51-year-old Elizabeth Gisserson. her daughter, 13-year-old Claire Gisserson; and Claire's 13-year-old friend Kendall Zemotel.
Claire died in the accident.
Her mother and friend sustained what prosecutors described as “catastrophic injuries.”
Claire's friend Kendall said she stood “speechless” when she looked at herself in the mirror for the first time in hospital and saw a large scar on her right cheek under her eye and a feeding tube coming out of her nose. I remembered.
“Emotionally, I think about things I know I shouldn't, but I really can't help myself. What could we have done to prevent this from happening to us?” Kendall I wrote in a shocking statement read by prosecutors in court. “I could have gone to the bathroom or taken a little more time to get ready before I left the house for the day. …If I had been even a minute late for everything I did that morning, Claire's life could have been saved. ”
Kendall added, “Claire was my best friend, the sister I never had, my twin. Claire was always there for me, even before I knew I needed someone. She was there. It's very difficult to process that Claire is gone. She deserves so much more in my life.”
Claire's mother said her emotional wounds would never heal.
“After Claire died, I didn't want to live,” Giserson told the court, wiping away tears. “The sadness of losing Claire is overwhelming for me.”
“My world changed forever the day Claire was killed. I don't know who I am now compared to who I was before,” said the grieving mother. “I was a super busy mom juggling sports, scouting, carpools, school projects, away games, and everything else in life.”
“Life has been happy and busy and crazy, and we talked about the future with hope and excitement, and now we're working in survival mode, dominated by loss, fear, and sadness,” Giserson added. This is a ripple effect of damage that can never be undone. ”
“The table for four has become three. The house is as quiet as a tomb,” she said. “The colors of our world are dull.”
“No one should have to try to live with the pain I have caused all these people through my careless and destructive actions.”
Claire's father, Ken Gisserson, added: “One day Claire was here and the next day she was gone forever.”
“When someone says, 'I can't even imagine,' I say, 'There's no need for that. It's not natural,'” he said.
According to People who knew Claire, she was described as “innocent” and “radiant.” patriot ledger.
Late last month, a jury found Gussel guilty of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, and two counts of driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. did.
Before sentencing, the anguished mother asked the judge: “Please help him never do something like this again. He can see the sunrise every day, but Claire will never see the sunrise again. And we will never see the sunrise again. I lost Claire.”
Judge Diane Frenière sentenced Goodsell to life in prison for the murder, eight years for seriously injuring Kendall, and will run concurrently with six years for assaulting Elizabeth Giserson. Goodsell will receive a 12-year prison term for manslaughter at the same time as the murder conviction.
Mr. Gussel will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years in prison.
“Judicial discretion does not commit the court to giving the value of a victim's life, because every human life is priceless,” the judge told Goodsell. “I have been thinking about the life of Claire Gisserson, an innocent and amazing bright light, a beloved 13-year-old girl and a caring and kind friend taken away because of your criminal acts. I did.”
“I am ashamed to say that I take responsibility for what happened,” Goodsell said during his sentencing.
“No one should ever try to overcome the pain I have caused all these people through my careless and destructive actions,” Goodsell said in a prepared statement. “If I could go back to that day and die in Claire's place, I would die right away.”
“The constant nightmares of not being able to sleep because of what I did that morning, that's something I'll have for the rest of my life,” he continued. “Sorry is an understatement. I sincerely apologize.”
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