990WBOB
 Joel Norman (age 26), of Webster, MA, pleaded guilty today before Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers to two counts of DUI death resulting, two counts of driving to endanger death resulting, and one count of possession of cocaine. Norman was sentenced to a total of 20 years with 12 to be served at the ACI, followed by three years to be served on home confinement, followed by eight years suspended. In addition, the Court ordered a ten-year revocation of license upon completion of time served, a $10,000 fine, and substance abuse counseling.  21-year-old Tiffany Sical and 23-year-old Brayan Rodriquez Solis were killed in the 2015 wrong-way crash. Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prover that early Easter Sunday morning April 5, 2015, Norman drove his motor vehicle in the wrong direction on Rt. 6 Westbound where he struck an oncoming motor vehicle killing the driver, 21-year-old Tiffany Sical, and the passenger, 23-year-old Brayan Rodriquez Solis.
After Norman consumed several alcoholic beverages after three different downtown Providence nightclubs, he got into his vehicle and proceeded to drive towards the Providence Place Mall at the entrance and exit ramps for Route 6 and Route 95. Video surveillance show Norman enter Route 6 in the wrong direction, travelling South/West in the North/East lanes. While travelling on Route 6 in the wrong direction, the defendant’s vehicle is observed passing at least one other vehicle, a small box truck which is observed changing travel lanes to avoid the defendant’s wrong-way travel. He continues in the wrong direction for approximately another mile. At approximately 1:32 a.m., Tiffany Sical is driving on Route 6 in the correct direction when she sees Norman’s vehicle heading straight at her. Sical attempts to avoid collision, but Norman’s strikes her vehicle head on. her vehicle and the defendant’s cars begin to come together. Emergency personnel were called to the scene. Tiffany was declared dead on the scene and Brayan was transported to Rhode Island Hospital and succumbed to his injuries a short time later. Tiffany and Brayan were returning home after seeing a movie at the Showcase Cinemas in Warwick and stopping for a bite to eat at Spike’s in Cranston. At approximately 5:35 a.m., two blood samples were drawn from the defendant in accordance with a search warrant. Testing from the Rhode Island Department of Health showed the defendant’s blood alcohol content (BAC) .163, twice the legal limit. Recognized extrapolation of the defendant’s BAC would have showed a range of .187-.208 at the time of the crash. “Tiffany and Brayan were two young people in love with each other, in love with their daughter Jayleen, in love with their families, and looking forward to building a life together. Solely for the reckless and deadly decision by Joel Norman to get behind the wheel of his car so intoxicated he was unable to discern the correct way to drive onto the highway, that life is gone, and the lives of their daughter and families will never be the same. One drunken decision has led to consequences too many to count,” said Attorney General Kilmartin. Rhode Island State Police Lt. Michael McGlynn led the investigation and Assistant Attorney General Stephen Regine prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General. |
WBOB
|
