Juvenile suspect in 2023 crash that killed Northampton teen found not guilty
A juvenile suspect in a hit-and-run crash that killed 19-year-old Jesse Johansmeyer two years ago has been found not guilty, according to Johansmeyer's family.
Johansmeyer was at a bonfire party on the night of March 24, 2023 when another person at the party, who was driving a pickup truck, struck him with the vehicle and drove away, MassLive reported at the time. The Northampton High School graduate was brought to the hospital for treatment, where died the next morning.
Willow Vandoloski, Johansmeyer's older sister, confirmed Friday that the suspect was found not guilty last month. Because the suspect was a minor, the details of the case are not public, and the Northwestern District Attorney's Office could not share any information or confirm the verdict.
Vandoloski said the outcome was 'earth-shattering' for her and her family.
'We were all kind of in a state of shock,' she said. 'The last two years since Jesse was killed, we've kind of all been in a daze, especially because we've been having to put so much effort and energy toward the trial itself. So for that two years to go on and no justice to come of that was incredibly difficult for us, and it's something we're still processing and something we're going to have to process the rest of our lives.'
Since Johansmeyer's death, his family has organized an annual motorcycle ride in his honor, which has raised money for the Easthampton Dog Park for the last three years. Vandoloski said it has been a way for them to channel their grief into something that will help others.
Otherwise, Johansmeyer's family members have largely leaned on each other for support, as she said there are few resources available for those grieving loved ones lost in traumatic circumstances.
The family created a website and in the last few days, Vandoloski started a TikTok page to spread her brother's story and remind people of the importance of calling 911 in an emergency. She said she wants to do everything she can to preserve Johansmeyer's memory.
'He could put a smile on anybody's face. He had so much life left to give that was taken from him,' she said. 'We're going to do everything in our power to make sure Jesse's name is not forgotten.'
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