PRESS RELEASE August 8, 2014
Paul E. Nicholson, II sentenced to State Prison in Saratoga County Court on his Vehicular Manslaughter 1st conviction from the June 7, 2013 crash that caused the death of pedestrian Jamie Jo McBride in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy, III announced today that Paul E. Nicholson, II (DOB 05/04/1985), of 32 Marion Avenue, Saratoga Springs, was sentenced Friday morning in Saratoga County Court before the Hon. Jerry J. Scarano. Paul Nicholson was sentenced for his conviction of two (2) counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree, to a concurrent state prison term of 3 to 9 year. As part of the sentence, the Defendant will be required to install an ignition interlock device in any vehicle he owns or ever operates upon his release for 3 additional years.
Nicholson’s conviction stems from his previously entered guilty plea on June 12, 2014 to two (2) counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (in violation of section 125.13(1) and 125.13(3) of the Penal Law – both class “C” Felonies) for his actions on June 7, 2013 when, after spending the day and hours leading up to the fatal crash drinking alcohol in several different bars he drove his large Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup truck in an intoxicated condition (a chemical test of Nicholson’s blood revealed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.18% – an amount more than twice the legal limit) and then struck and ultimately caused the death of Jamie Jo McBride, a 55 year old pedestrian as she walked through the crosswalk on Ballston Avenue in Saratoga Springs.
At Friday’s sentencing in County Court, Virginia Schindler (Jamie Jo McBride’s sister) spoke emotionally during her victim impact statement about the loss of her younger sister and only sibling. Ms. Schindler described her sister as a “beautiful, kind, intelligent generous and caring person…she was a speech and hearing pathologist and helped many people, mostly children” and related how difficult it is and will be to watch her niece and nephew (Jamie’s children) “reach milestones that they will never share with their mother.”
ADA Matthew Coseo, who prosecuted the case, read a victim impact statement prepared by the children and husband of Jamie Jo McBride including that Nicholson’s actions “unnecessarily stole a beautiful person from our lives and forever extinguished a light, a hope and all the good which she (McBride) was so capable of doing into the future.” The Family’s statement went on to detail the pain and hurt that has come, and will continue to be with the Family for this loss, specifically how Jamie will never again be there to “comfort, console and confide ” in her children and celebrate in their accomplishments. The statement most poignantly pointed out how, because of Nicholson’s crime, there will never be “Mom” there again.
ADA Coseo commented that “there is simply no excuse for this senseless and completely unnecessary crime and tragic loss of a human life…the terrible consequences of the Defendant’s criminal conduct radiate outward – he has caused immeasurable damage not only to the McBride and Tardanico family, but also to the many innocents who bore witness to this traumatic even on June 7, 2013.”
DA Murphy recognized the efforts of the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the New York State Police Forensic Investigation and Crash Reconstruction Units as well as the work of Assistant District Attorney Matthew Coseo, “Assistant DA Coseo’s dedication to this case is reflected in the outcome, whereby the Defendant has been held responsible for Ms. McBride’s death and that justice has been brought to the family of Ms. McBride.”