By Nancy Drury Duncan —
A general district judge certified the vehicular manslaughter case of Justin Lafierrier, 27, of Milford, N.H., to a grand jury. Lafierriere, also known as Justin Soeum, is charged with the February crash that killed a Bloxom woman. He was driving southbound when he crossed over into the northbound lane of U.S. Route 13 near Accomac, hitting another car head-on. Testimony was the “black box” in the rented Toyota Camry recording his speed at 93 mph when he struck the white Chrysler driven by 44-year-old Angela Marie Kellam, killing her instantly.
Two motorcyclists, both seriously injured, testified to seeing the horrific crash unfold. Each testified they were stopped in the same lane at the red light near the Parksley Royal Farms. The red Camry was directly in front of them. A little later the motorcyclists said they passed the red car. “I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw him riding on the opposite side of the road,” said Treyquan Johnson. “He passed us. He was speeding. I saw him hit head-on with another car.” He said the white Chrysler ended up in the southbound lane. “I saw the crash,” said Terrell Northam. “We were in the passing lane still. I went down on the ground, I tried to get up. I felt pain. I couldn’t get up. The red car burst into flames. They pulled him out of the car.” Johnson said he laid his motorcycle down. “I got thrown off,” he told the court. “The accident caused the white car to hit my bike. I was off.” He used a walker and said he is still recovering from the crash that required surgery to put two metal plates and ten screws in his pelvis. Johnson said his ankle was broken.
According to testimony, the Camry was rented for the defendant by a friend. A Virginia State police officer testified that Lafierrier’s driver’s license restricted him, as a result of a DUI, to driving a car with an ignition interlock device. The defendant’s blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit when he arrived at the hospital, according to testimony from a doctor there.
Lafierrier is charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of DUI maiming, DUI second offense, and reckless driving. After hearing from eight witnesses presented by the commonwealth and questioned by defense attorney Carl Bundick, Judge Patrick Robbins found probable cause to certify the case to a grand jury.
