Motion to suppress alcohol evidence in deadly Longmeadow crash allowed
SPRINGFIELD — Nearly three years after a car crash took the life of a Longmeadow teen, the young driver charged with motor vehicle homicide won a motion to squash evidence related to alleged alcohol consumption.
On May 7, 2022, a collision on Green Willow Drive killed Katarina 'Kat' Boskovic, 18, and nearly killed classmate Shea Hamel. A Longmeadow High School senior, Zachary Elfman, then 17, was charged with drunken driving, motor vehicle homicide and related counts.
Now nearing 21, Elfman has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case has dragged for years and Juvenile Court Judge David B. Paradis recently issued an evidentiary decision that may imperil the case, though Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni recently insisted the prosecution will withstand the blow.
'We're extremely disappointed and dismayed by the judge's decision with which we vigorously disagree, and it is legally flawed,' Gulluni said during an interview this week.
Paradis hung his ruling on the fact that Elfman was a juvenile and not permitted to speak with his father on scene, in addition to running afoul of Miranda warning standards and insisting that Elfman perform field sobriety tests despite an injury to his leg.
'The officer's questioning flagrantly violated the juvenile's Miranda rights and the right to have an interested adult present in his questioning,' the ruling reads.
Defense attorney Shawn P. Allyn lauded the judge's decision.
'The judge's findings are completely accurate and grounded in the record, application of the law is completely on point.' Allyn said. 'The police, upon their arrival, trampled over Zachary Elfman's constitutional rights, rushed to judgment and made multiple crime scene errors.'
The allegations are that a group of teens had been drinking heavily at Elfman's home before the three got in the car and drove away — striking a tree at the base of the street.
Boskovik, Hamel and Elfman were teammates on the high school's cross-country track team.
The case has been contentious with Allyn attempting to bar Boskovic's father from the courtroom and Paradis excusing Elfman from every hearing after his arraignment.
The next hearing in court is scheduled for May 7 — the third anniversary of the crash.
'Of all the dates they could have picked, how tone deaf is that?' said the Boskovic family's civil attorney, Raipher D. Pellegrino.
He, along with Gulluni, was critical of how long the case has continued and the delay of 14 months for the judge to issue his ruling on the evidence.
'Justice delayed is justice denied,' Pellegrino said.
Gulluni's office swiftly filed an appeal, attacking the judge's rationale.
The appeal noted Elfman made puzzling remarks in the police cruiser including 'Can I get the diagnosis? Can I get the diagnosis? What's the plan?'
Pleadings in the case have included wrenching details including when Elfman was informed Boskovic, to whom he referred as his 'best friend,' was dead and Hamel, who he claimed he didn't know, 'wasn't far behind.'
Hamel survived grievous injuries after a long stint in the hospital.
Elfman sobbed at the scene and repeatedly asked responding officers for a hug, according to court records.
Gulluni also critiqued the delay in the judge's ruling.
'We're hopeful that justice will prevail for the Boskovic and Hamel families,' he said. 'The idea that this decision took 14 months is frankly unacceptable. These are good people who've been through a nightmare.'
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Now, to preface, our scout troop was pretty laid back. We didn't tend to bother with badges, and the two troop leaders were pretty cool guys. Mostly, we played silly games like crab football, built catapults to fire stuff across the hall at each other, etc. You get the picture. We were a little bit of a gang of misfits. But Steve was really weird. First time it came out was when he would do this thing where he'd get his butt out and dance around." "At first, it was outrageous and funny, and he kept getting told to stop. When he kept doing it got a bit annoying (none of us were keen to see his bare arse...), then it got boring, then just outright weird when its not remotely funny, no one wanted him to do it and he continued. He also used to bring in print outs of super gross porn (obviously confiscated and thrown away). Again, he was clearly trying to gross people out for his amusement. 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She came home one day, and he was digging a hole in the backyard. She asked what he was doing, and he replied, "Digging your grave." "He hit her, said if he can't have her, nobody could have her, all of that. So, eventually, she left him and had to get a restraining order and everything. He somehow persuaded her to get in a car with him on her work break, and they went missing for a few days. Turns out he stabbed her to death, threw her in a river, and killed himself. I met the girl only a few times and him only once, but the face that I was in such close proximity to someone capable of that gives me chills. She was so young, it was really sad." — u/TopWoodpecker1062 6."I worked at a box store about 20 years ago, a guy I worked with was always 'off,' and would give away pocket knives to other employees. 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For anonymous, confidential help, you can call the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or chat with an advocate via the website. If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 ( service can be provided in over 140 languages. The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-800-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy. If you or anyone you know has information on a missing person case, call local law enforcement first. You can also contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (THE-LOST) or visit the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System site for regional case assistance. 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