PROVIDENCE -- A 24-year-old Bristol man was sentenced in Superior Court
today to serve two years in prison for his part in a high-speed race two
years ago in Bristol that led to a crash that killed two teenagers.
Michael Cabral was sentenced to serve one year each for reckless driving
and conspiracy to commit reckless driving. Judge Edwin Gale ordered
Cabral to serve the sentences consecutively, meaning one after the other
for a total of two years.
Cabral was also fined a total of $2,000. He received the maximum penalty
available under the law.
On April 19, 2003, Cabral was one of two drivers involved in a race that
exceeded 100 mph on Route 136 in Bristol. Two passengers in the other
car, Justin Nunes, 17, and Steven Botelho, 19, were killed when the
other car, driven by teenager Brendan Lombardi, struck a tree. A third
teenager was injured.
Lombardi, 19, of Barrington, was sentenced to 12 years in prison April
14 after he admitted driving under the influence and driving recklessly.
On May 3, a Superior Court jury acquitted Cabral on two felony counts of
reckless driving with death resulting and another count of reckless
driving resulting in serious bodily injury.
The jury did, however, convict Cabral of three misdemeanor counts of
reckless driving as well as a charge of conspiracy to drive recklessly
that stemmed from Lombardi's and Cabral's agreement to race to Bristol.
The three reckless driving counts were consolidated for the purpose of
sentencing.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Gale said that Cabral had since the
age of 17 shown "a total disregard for the safety of others" when he was
behind the wheel. He said the case "cries out for consecutive sentences."
Gale also ordered Cabral to attend counseling after he completes his
sentence.
-- With reports from Journal staff writer Gina Macris
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