Mass. Trucker Indicted On Negligent Homicide, Manslaughter Counts

CONCORD, NH — A New Hampshire grand jury has indicted a Massachusetts trucker for the deaths of seven motorcyclists after a fatal crash in Randolph, New Hampshire, in June 2019.

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 25, formerly of West Springfield, MA, was indicted on seven counts of manslaughter-reckless, seven negligent homicide counts, seven counts of negligent homicide-driving under the influence, and a single reckless conduct-deadly weapon charge on March 10 in Coos County Superior Court via a statewide grand jury, according to documents received by Patch on Friday.

Police were called to Route 2 in the northern part of the state around 6:30 p.m. on June 21, 2019, for a report of a trailer truck with a flatbed crashing into motorcyclists. Seven people died and many others were injured, according to New Hampshire State Police. Witnesses described the crash as "a devastating scene," with motorcycle parts, debris, and bodies strewn all over the highway, and tourists and residents scrambling with first aid kits to assist the accident victims.

During the course of the investigation, officials learned the motorcyclists were part of the JarHeads Semper Fi Motorcycle Club attending a reunion in the North Country of New Hampshire and Zhukovskyy was the driver of the truck accused of crashing into the bikers.

Michael Ferazzi, 62, of Contoocook, New Hampshire; Desma Oakes, 42, of Concord, NH; Albert Mazza, 59, of Lee, NH; Aaron Perry, 45, of Farmington, NH; Joanne and Edward Corr, 58, of Lakeville, MA; and Daniel Pereira, 58, of Riverside, Rhode Island, all died in the crash.

State officials limited information, initially, and the National Transportation Safety Board stepped in to investigate the case, too. Investigators accused Zhukovskyy of being impaired on drugs at the time of the accident. Prosecutors accused him of consuming two baggies of heroin and half a gram of cocaine.

Zhukovskyy, it turned out, had a number of priors and a suspended license in Connecticut after being arrested for drunken driving in that state in 2013. Later, he was able to obtain a Massachusetts license. The revelation that he had priors led to the resignation of Erin Deveney, the registrar of the Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles, a few days after the crash. Zhukovskyy was out on bail on other charges at the time of the accident.

After his arrest, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Zhukovskyy was indicted on charges in October 2019 and re-indicted again, culminating this month in new indictments released by the court on Friday. He is still in prison pending trial and has an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer on him if he ever gets released. The detainer requests officials not free Zhukovskyy, a native of the Ukraine, since he could be deported based on previous criminal activity.

Previous Patch Coverage:

• Lawyers List Drugs In Driver's System In Motorcycle Deaths
• Massachusetts RMV Chief Resigns Over NH Crash Revelations
• Driver In NH Crash Has Record, Drunken Driving Arrest
• Driver In NH Crash That Killed 7 Pleads 'Not Guilty'
• Driver Arrested After Killing 7 Motorcyclists In NH: AG
• Names Of 7 New Hampshire Motorcycle Crash Victims Released
• Bikers Mourn Seven Riders Killed In NH Accident
• NH Motorcycle Crash Victims Were JarHeads Marine Bikers
• Federal Agency Will Investigate Deadly New Hampshire Crash
• 7 Killed In 'Devastating' NH Motorcycle Crash

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Coos County Superior Court and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the removal request process for New Hampshire Patch police reports.

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