Guilford Man Arraigned for Fatal Car Crash

This article was written by Pem McNerney. It was posted to Guilford Patch by Lauren Lanzon.

Scott Severino, 25, of 734 West Lake Avenue, in Guilford has been charged with drunk driving, manslaughter and several other crimes in connection with the accident in January that killed a young Madison woman, Michelle Noble. 

Severino has been charged with manslaughter in the second degree with a motor vehicle, two counts of assault in the second degree with a motor vehicle, reckless driving, illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drug, failure to drive in the proper lane, and failure to obey a stop sign. 

Severino was arraigned Tuesday in New Haven Superior Court and the case has been continued, according to the court clerk's office. He is being represented by Charles E. Tiernan III, according to court documents. 

The police report says that Severino blamed the accident on faulty brakes, but that a subsequent investigation found the brakes "in working order" prior to the crash. The investigation showed that it was a "high-speed crash" in a 25-mph residential neighborhood. One of the other occupants of the car, Justin Daley, who was celebrating his birthday that night, said about 30 seconds before the crash, that he, Michelle Noble, 23, and the other occupant, Eric Tendler, put their seat belts on when they realized how fast Severino was driving. 

The report also says that immediately after the accident, Severino and two other occupants managed to free themselves, leaving the dying woman strapped into the rear seat of the car in the freezing cold night.

Someone who lives in the neighborhood looked out of his window immediately after the accident and saw a young man "staggering and hiding a bag that contained what looked like beer cans in a drainage ditch." 

The accident took place just before midnight on a freezing cold night in January 24, 2013 in the 200 block of Flat Meadow Road in Guilford. 

The following is the account provided in the application for the arrest warrant prepared by the Guilford Police Department: 

On January 24, 2013, two Guilford police officers along with the Guilford Fire Department following the report of a car accident on Flat Meadow Road in Guilford. The car was found on the north embankment of Flat Meadow Road. The officers saw immediately that the car was heavily damaged. 

The three young men were out of the car when police officers arrived, but Michelle Noble was still strapped in the front passenger seat. The police immediately detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Scott Severino, who told the police officer the brakes were not working on the car. In the meantime, fire rescue personnel were trying to free Noble from the car. She had severe head trauma and was motionless. 

The three young men and Noble  were transported by ambulance to Yale New Haven Hospital, where Michelle Noble was pronounced dead. Severino sustained an injury to his right hand. 

The investigation later revealed that a neighbor who lives near the crash site heard a car going by and "that the vehicle sounded like ti was going at least 80 mph." Another neighbor who lives near the accident site said he heard a crash around 11:40 p.m. and saw the inverted car on his front yard. He walked out and saw a young man staggering around trying to hide what looked like beer cans in a drainage ditch. Police later retrieved a box and several unopened beer cans in the drainage ditch. 

The investigation also showed that at the accident site, the skid marks indicated that there was no braking. "The marks had distinct striation indicating that the tires were rotating and slipping sideways, again showing lack of breaking. The damage to the crash vehicle and, based on my training and experience, indicated that this was a high speed crash. 

Severino told police officers that prior to the accident, he had three drinks at Chuck's Steak House Margarita's in Branford before the accident. He told police officers he pressed the brakes but that they did not work. He said had been having trouble with the brakes for about a week and was planning to have them fixed the following week. 

Sevrino's medical records showed that he had an ethanol level of 160H, which were faxed to the state toxicology lab for conversion to blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The conversion showed that Severino's BAC was .138 when he was treated at the hospital. Between a 0.13-0.15 BAC, the following effects are felt: "Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness) is beginning to appear. Judgment and perception are severely impaired."

Justin Daley said he and Michelle Noble went to Chuck's together and met up with Severino and Eric Tendler at the bar, and "they had some drinks and then a shot right before they left the bar ... they left the bar and possibly stopped at a gas station. Daley said immediately prior to the crash, he knew they were going off the road, so he bear hugged the seat in front of him. Daley said Severino drinks "regularly, almost daily." 

A mechanical inspection of the car by certified mechanic and employee of the Guilford Public Works showed "the braking system had been in working order prior to the crash." 

Tendler said they were at Chuck's to celebrate Justin Daley's birthday. Tendler said Daley asked Severino to slow down prior to the accident. 

Video footage and records from Chuck's showed the group celebrating the birthday ordered a pulled pork burrito  a Long Island Iced Tea, a Corona, a strawberry margarita, and two Coors light. Another tab showed the group also had a Hawaiin Tropic Margarita, three Bacardi drinks, and a Cabo Wabo shot. The bartender also said that the bartender also gave the group some free shots that might have been Jack Daniels. 

Severino's attorney, Tiernan, has told police that Severino would not be speaking with police further about the accident. 

Editor's Note: This story was corrected on Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 1:47 p.m. to reflect the correct address for Severino. It was also corrected to reflect the correct placement in the car of Michelle Noble.