OMG Texting Teen Sentenced

Aaron Deveau, 18, who became the first driver in Massachusetts to be convicted of motor vehicle homicide by texting, has been sentenced to two years in prison and loss of his license for 15 years, the Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors said Deveau, who pleaded not guilty, was texting on Feb. 20, 2011, when his vehicle swerved across the center line of a Haverhill street and crashed head on into Donald Bowley's truck, killing the 55-year-old father of three.

Deveau was charged with motor vehicle homicide and negligent operation of a motor vehicle, using a mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle, reading or sending an electronic message, a marked lanes violation, and two counts of negligent operation and injury from mobile phone use.

I haven't been able to dig this out yet, but something is troubling me.  There are no witnesses mentioned that saw him texting.  Time stamps and the difference that could be between them make all the difference. It may not change Deveau's role in the accident, but the truth is important.  Was he texting or not?  The burden of proof is on the prosecution.  A time stamp seems a bit flimsy to me.

A double tragedy, one life lost and one destroyed.