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April 23, 2008

Parole denied for Barrington man jailed in driving deaths

The state Parole Board today denied parole for a Barrington man who is four years into his 12-year prison sentence in connection with a drag-racing crash that killed two Bristol passengers Steven J. Botelho, 19, and Justin M. Nunes, 17.

Brendan Lombardi was 19 when he was sentenced in Providence County Superior Court in April 2004, almost a year after the April 19, 2003, crash in which the police said Lombardi and Michael Cabral raced cars on Market Street and Metacom Avenue through Swansea, Bristol and Warren at upwards of 80 mph.

Shortly before 3 a.m., Lombardi's car went into a tree, and Botelho and Nunes were thrown from the car and killed.

A statement from the parole board said that to parole Lombardi "so soon" on his sentence "would depreciate the serious nature of the crime and the devastating impact the crime has had on so many individuals."

The statement also said the board, which met today on the matter, will reconsider Lombardi for parole in 18 months.

Lombardi, in an agreement reached with prosecutors, pleaded no contest to two counts of driving under the influence, death resulting; one count of DUI, serious injury resulting; two counts of reckless driving, death resulting; and one count of conspiracy to commit reckless driving.

For the reckless driving charges, he was sentenced to 10 years' probation, to be served after his release from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. He was also ordered to serve 200 hours of community service and seek alcohol and substance-abuse counseling while on probation.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with Journal archival reports

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 4:35 PM | Permalink

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Dolores Jordan | April 24, 2008 12:53 AM link

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