FARMINGTON — A Franklin County justice sentenced an Industry man to seven years in prison with all but three years suspended Monday for driving drunk and killing Taylor Gaboury of Wilton on New Year’s Day in Farmington.

Upon his release from prison, Tommy Clark, 26, will be on probation for three years.

Clark pleaded guilty June 6 to two felony charges: aggravated operating under the influence involving death and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident. He had a 0.129 percent blood-alcohol level about an hour after the fatal collision. The legal threshold for drinking and driving is 0.08 percent blood alcohol.

Gaboury, 21, was walking east on Routes 2 and 4 wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt. She was walking in the same direction Clark was traveling when he struck her.

She had been drinking herself and decided to walk several miles instead of getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, Deputy District Attorney James Andrews said. 

Clark had been at a bar and left at 1 a.m. and was visibly intoxicated. He drove back to a motel with two passengers, and then got behind the wheel again to go and see Christmas light displays. He was on his way back to the motel when Gaboury was struck.

Clark stopped his vehicle following the collision and went down the embankment and lifted Gaboury with his hands and decided she was dead before leaving the scene and driving to a nearby motel instead of seeking medical attention from a nearby hospital, Andrews said.

He said Clark made up a false story to avoid police and left two passengers nearby to call 911.

Clark waived indictment in June and gave up his right to a trial to move the case forward. 

Tena Trask of Farmington, Taylor’s mother, said that when her daughter was born, she became a better person. 

“Since her death, I lost all I once had,” Trask said. “I am broken. I am lost. I am angry. She was not only my daughter; she was my best friend.”

Trask and other family members asked the court to give Clark the maximum punishment.

“Taylor’s life does matter. All our lives matter,” Trask said. “I am praying Taylor gets justice.”

It wasn’t only Taylor’s life that was lost, it was all of their lives, said Taylor’s father, Rick Gaboury.

It was a such a preventable accident, he said. Clark chose to get behind the wheel intoxicated, Gaboury said. Instead of going to the hospital that was within sight to get help, he left the scene after he decided she was dead, Gaboury said.

He left her there on a cold, snowy, wet night in a ditch to die like some animal, Gaboury said. Tommy Clark is the animal, he said. 

Before he finished speaking, he said, “I love you, Taylor.”  

Defense attorney Thomas Carey said it was a tragic situation. He told the family he was sorry for their loss. 

He said according to an analysis of the accident reconstruction report, Gaboury was dressed in all dark clothing, including a black hooded sweatshirt, and was walking in the same direction as eastbound traffic in the travel lane or on the edge of it. Both were considered contributing factors to the accident, he said.

“Tommy has been incredibly remorseful throughout the court case,” Carey said. 

He has taken responsibility for what happened and has given up his right to trial, he said. 

Clark apologized to the family.

“I would trade my life in an instant to bring (Taylor) back,” he said. He said he had made a hole in her family that cannot be filled.  

Andrews referred to Taylor Gaboury as a bright young star in a large constellation of family and friends. 

He asked for eight years in prison with all but five suspended for the OUI charge and three years of probation. Defense attorney Carey asked for four years with all but one year suspended, and two years of probation.

Justice William Stokes said Clark was a good candidate for rehabilitation.

“Mr. Clark is not a monster,” Stokes said. “What Mr. Clark did was very, very wrong. He is going to be held responsible.” He said Clark had no business getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

On the charge of leaving the scene of an accident, he sentenced Clark to serve four years with all but three years suspended and two years of probation. It will be served at the same time as the OUI sentence.

Clark, who has no criminal record and was gainfully employed prior to the accident, must also pay a $2,100 fine for the OUI conviction, not factoring in surcharges. He must also pay $257 to the Farmington Police Department for the costs of testing. He also loses his driver’s license for 10 years.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net