Prison Sentence for Southington Man Who Killed Two Meriden Girls in Drunken Crash: Report

BRISTOL, CT — Twenty-six-year-old Michael Luponio, of Southington, will serve 15 years in prison as part of a plea deal in connection with the December 2015 crash that killed young Meriden girls Veronica and Yvette Martinez, reports NBC Connecticut News.

Luponio, who pleaded no contest, agreed to a 30-year prison sentence for which he would only serve 15 years, followed by five years of supervised release.

According to police, Luponio's blood alcohol content level at the time of the crash was 0.24, three times the legal limit.

When he was arrested in February of this year, he was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, three counts of second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, operating under the influence, operating without insurance and reckless driving.

The girls' mother, Kayla Torres, and passenger, Miguel Melendez, were injured in the crash, which occurred on Middle Street in the area of Pinebrook Terrace in Bristol. Luponio's vehicle drifted over the center line and smashed into the vehicle driven by Torres.

Luponio is scheduled to appear in court in December for the formal sentencing, according to the publication.

Click here to read the full story on the NBC Connecticut News website.

Photo 1: Michael Luponio via Bristol police; Photo 2: Yvette Martinez, left, and Veronica Martinez via GoFundMe.