PLYMOUTH, Mass. — The man accused of causing a deadly crash in Pembroke will be held without bail until a trial after a hearing Friday, in which more than 35 previously alleged driving infractions were revealed.
Gregory Goodsell, of Marshfield, who was arraigned earlier this week on manslaughter and OUI charges connected to a Dec. 29 crash that killed 13-year-old Claire Zisserson and seriously injured two others, will appear in Plymouth District Court for a dangerousness hearing.
Police allege Goodsell admitted he was drunk and had used cocaine when he drove through a red light and crashed into a Subaru on Route 139, killing Claire and seriously injuring 13-year-old Kendall Zemotel. Zisserson’s mother, who was driving the Subaru, was also injured.
“He had an overwhelming smell of alcohol coming from his mouth when he spoke to me,” Pembroke police officer David Clauss testified. “He said, ‘I made a mistake, please help me. I’m not a bad guy. I’m just drunk. Please believe me.'"
Goodsell, an employee of Rockland-based Hi-Way Safety Systems Inc., allegedly told police he was coming from a Christmas party at his boss’s home when the crash occurred. Another Hi-Way Systems employee was found dead at a hotel in Rockland the same morning after allegedly attending the same party.
Witnesses in court said Goodsell also claimed to be a Pembroke firefighter. According to the Pembroke Fire Department, he was part of a “call firefighter” certification program in 2007. However, they say he was removed by the previous chief for matters unbecoming. We’re told he was let go in 2009 and didn’t pick up many shifts or respond to many calls in the two years he served.
Another Pembroke police officer who responded to the scene, Brian Cain, described Goodsell as, “Belligerent, rude, disrespectful to the nurses, especially the female nurses at the hospital.”
Goodsell’s defense attorney, Joshua Wood, argued he should be put on a GPS monitoring bracelet and released on home incarceration, describing his actions as reckless rather than malicious.
Judge James Sullivan sided with prosecutors, citing Goodsell’s probation history, which they said included 35 previous driving infractions.
“The court finds that the defendant operating a motor vehicle shows the defendant’s disregard for the safety of the public,” Sullivan said.
Goodsell has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been held without bail since his arraignment.
Claire Zisserson’s wake is also set for Friday - with visitation hours from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Davis Life Celebration Funeral Home. A vigil in Plymouth to celebrate her life and pray for the recovery of her friend, Kendall, is planned for Sunday at the Brewster Gardens.
Goodsell’s company, Hi-Way Safety Systems, released the following statement to Boston 25 News Friday:
“An employee of Hi-Way Safety Systems, Inc. was involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident in Pembroke on the morning of December 29th. An innocent young girl was killed, another badly hurt, and an adult woman was also seriously injured.
The shock and sadness the families of these victims are experiencing is unimaginable. It is impossible to adequately express the sorrow felt for their tragic loss.
The employee involved in the motor vehicle crash violated multiple company policies, including the repeated unauthorized use of a company vehicle for personal use during non-work hours on the evening of December 28th and possession of alcohol in the vehicle.
Early on December 29, the employee was told by co-workers to relinquish the keys to the company vehicle. He avoided that demand and again without authorization operated the vehicle. As a result of these violations and the accident that then occurred, his employment has been terminated.
This has been a terrible tragedy and a nightmare for all involved. The Company will fully cooperate with all authorities and agencies conducting investigations into the accident. That process is underway and ongoing, and during that time we will issue no further public statements.
Hi-Way Safety Systems employs over 160 people and has a strong work and safety track record spanning over 40 years in Massachusetts, across New England and New York. We join the community in mourning the loss of such a young life, and in offering our deepest thoughts and support for the other victims as they recover.”
— Hi-Way Safety Systems
© 2020 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
