PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Tuesday, Oct. 3, Stanley Kardys, 70 of West Granby Conn., was found guilty in Central Berkshire District Court of Motor Vehicle Homicide Negligent Operation.

 

Judge Tyne sentenced Kardys to 90 days in the House of Corrections. 

 

The Commonwealth requested 18 months in the House of Corrections, one year direct, and a balance suspended for one year. The Defense requested one year's probation.

 

On April 23, 2021, at approximately 3:22 pm the Massachusetts State Police were dispatched to the 14.8 mile Eastbound marker on the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). There was a report of a collision involving a Freightliner tractor-trailer truck, a Toyota minivan, and a Toyota Camry. 

 

According to a press release from the District Attorney's Office: 

 

A tractor-trailer, driven by Kardys, had collided with the back of a black Toyota Camry in the right lane. After the initial collision, the tractor-trailer pushed the Camry into the left lane, hit the left lane guardrail, then pushed the Camry back into the right lane where it hit the right lane guardrail and came to its final resting place in the righthand breakdown lane. 

 

The tractor-trailer pushed the Toyota Camry approximately 526 feet from the initial impact. The minivan, which was traveling ahead of the Camry, was hit following the tractor-trailer's collision with the Toyota Camry.

 

Before the collision, at approximately mile 13.3 of the Massachusetts Turnpike was a caution sign that displayed the following messages: "Reduce Speed," "Bridge Work Ahead", and "Caution Lanes Split." 

 

Traffic had slowed leading to the road work which began at approximately mile 15 of the Turnpike.

 

Evidence, including crash data retrieval (CDR), showed the truck was traveling at 65 miles per hour and was set on cruise control at the time of the collision. The CDR report for the Toyota Camry showed that the Camry was traveling at 18 miles per hour at the time of the collision. The CDR from the minivan reported that it was traveling at 12 miles per hour at the time it was hit. Further CDR reports from the tractor-trailer showed that the truck's brakes were not applied until after the collision.

 

A citizen responded to the scene immediately following the collision and attempted to provide care to the two trapped individuals in the Toyota Camry (one in the driver's seat and one in the front passenger's seat). Both people were seriously injured. 

 

EMS from Lee arrived and transported them to Baystate Medical Center. 

 

The driver of the Toyota Camry, Gary Litwin, died before arriving to the hospital. The passenger of the Camry sustained severe injuries but survived. The minivan's airbags were deployed but the driver appeared unharmed.

 

Assistant District Attorney Megan Rose and Joseph Yorlano represented the Commonwealth. Tarra Jones-Nutting served as a victim-witness advocate on behalf of the District Attorney's Office. James Hall served as media specialist throughout the jury trial. Law Enforcement involved in the case included the Massachusetts State Police, the State Police Detective's Unit, the MSP's Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section (CARS), MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Section and the Connecticut State Police.