One of the resettled Bhutanese, Rudra P Kafley, 23, on Monday pleaded guilty to “motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol” in death of his friend, Moti Kuikel.
According to local media reports, Assistant District Attorney James Forsyth asked Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard Carey to sentence Kafley to two and a half years in state prison. However, Carey opted recommendation of the defense lawyer, Brandom Freeman, allowing Kafley to serve in the Hampden County Correctional Center in Ludlow with one year to be served and the rest suspended with two years probation.
A media report said, the charge was from the May 25 crash when Kafley’s 2011 Nissan Altima struck a tractor-trailer parked in an Interstate 291 breakdown lane. Altima’s passenger, Moti Kuikel, who sustained critical injuries, was later pronounced dead.
Kafley, who was a student of Springfield Technical Community College, came to the United States in April 2011. He is also reported to have at least two prior crash records, one of which was his fault and one of which was not.
The judge also warned Kafley that the guilty conviction could mean he would face deportation to Nepal, where he has none of his relatives and family members.
