News

Parents of teen killed in drunk driving crash win $2M judgement

SALEM, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Four years after losing their daughter to a horrific drunk driving crash, the parents of 19-year-old Julia Gauthier win a $2 million judgment against the man who hosted the party she was at the night of her death.

Court records show a judge has ordered 23-year-old Craig Snow to pay each of her parents $1 million in damages.

Julia's boyfriend Christopher Maxson was driving her home that night, when he sped through two stop signs and rolled the SUV they were in, killing her. Maxson was 19 at the time and later pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide while driving drunk.

Snow was criminally charged under the social host liability law but avoided jail time. The Gauthier family filed a civil suit against Snow and Monday a judge ruled he pay them a total of $2 million.

"The question here is reasonableness. You should not furnish so much alcohol to any guest that you have that they leave your house inebriated," Attorney David White said.

White says anyone who hosts a party and serves alcohol is then responsible if a guest leaves and causes an accident.

"Homeowners are left with very little protection for over serving people and getting them drunk and then sending them on the highway," White said.

He says this case serves as a wake-up call to parents , or anyone hosting a party, where alcohol is being served.