off piste
April 25th, 2006, 11:43 AM
The story said he was a member of a sponsored MTB team and he lives in Littleton, MA:
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_3749591
Suspect posts bond in motor vehicle homicide case
By J.J. Huggins
Katelyn DiSessa's aunt, Cheryl Medeiros, cries during David Zoller's arraignment at Clinton District Court, Monday. (SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE PHOTO / SARAH BRITAIN)
CLINTON -- Cheryl Medeiros walked into court Monday morning holding a white baby blanket that had been meant for her niece's son.
She, along with roughly two dozen other distraught family members, attended the arraignment for the man who police say drove drunk and caused the wreck that killed Katelyn DiSessa, 21, and her unborn child.
"She just wanted to be the best mother she could be," Medeiros said to a group of reporters standing in the hallway at Clinton District Court.
DiSessa was engaged to be married to James Rousseau, 21. The baby, which was due in late May or early June, would have been the couple's first.
Police allege David E. Zoller, 33, of 14 White Pine Drive, Littleton, crossed the center line on Sterling Street/Route 62 in Lancaster shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday, and struck the couple's sport utility vehicle.
The impact left DiSessa trapped inside the SUV. Firefighters extricated her and rescue crews transported her to Clinton hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival, according to police.
Medical workers tried to save the baby, but couldn't, according to police.
Rousseau, who had been at the wheel of the couple's Chevrolet SUV, sustained minor injuries, according to police.
Zoller escaped injury, according to police.
Zoller appeared in Clinton District Court on Monday morning, facing two counts of motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence of liquor, failing to keep right for an oncoming vehicle and a marked lanes violation.
District court Judge Martha Brennan ordered him held on $50,000 cash bail, or $500,000 surety on Monday.
"I think the judge did the right thing," Rousseau's mother, Denise, said during an interview at her home on Wilson Street in Clinton after the hearing.
Sheriff's deputies took Zoller to the Worcester County House of Correction on Monday.
He posted bail at the jail late in the afternoon, according to Keith Mitchell, a spokesman for Sheriff Guy Glodis.
"He's getting bailed out," Mitchell said.
Some of DiSessa's and Rousseau's family members sobbed loudly while sitting in court that morning.
The couple were ecstatic to be having their first child, their family members said.
The crash happened when they were driving home to their new apartment at 18 Green Wood Drive in Leominster -- where they already had a room for the baby -- family members said.
"She wore her seat belt every time she got in the car ... and this guy was coming at them drunk," Medeiros said.
DiSessa had been looking forward to motherhood, and her baby shower on April 1 was one of the happiest days in her life, Medeiros said.
"She was like, 'Auntie, I can't wait to see my baby,'" Medeiros said.
The baby would have been named James Jr., according to Rousseau's father, Gerry, who also attended the arraignment.
Rousseau, after the crash, kept asking if his bride-to-be would be all right, according to Lancaster Police Officer Juan D. Ramos.
"All he said was, 'Is she going to be OK?'" Ramos wrote in his police report, which graphically described the scene where DiSessa was trapped inside the SUV.
Steven Fugure, an off-duty Sterling police officer, witnessed the wreck and told Ramos he was driving behind the couple's SUV when Zoller began driving straight at them, according to Ramos' report.
Rousseau, who was heading west, swerved to the left to avoid Zoller's white 2003 Ford van, but the van struck the passenger's side of the SUV, Fugere told Ramos, according to Ramos' report.
Zoller smelled like alcohol, slurred his words and had bloodshot eyes when he spoke to Ramos after the crash, according to Ramos' report.
Police arrested Zoller after he failed field sobriety tests, according to Ramos.
He admitted he had "two or three beers" at his friend's house after going mountain biking at the Worcester airport, according to another report written by Lancaster Police Officer John T. McNally.
McNally later informed Zoller that DiSessa had died and medical workers were trying to save the baby, while Zoller sat in the prisoner's cage at the Lancaster police station, according to McNally's report.
Zoller responded by saying, "OK," McNally wrote.
McNally then talked to Zoller about a half-hour later, after the hospital called and told the officer the baby died too, according to McNally's report.
Zoller again replied by saying, "OK," McNally wrote in his report.
"He showed no emotion whatsoever, nor did he ask any questions about the victims of the accident," McNally wrote.
Police held Zoller on $50,000 cash bail until his arraignment on Monday.
He appeared in court Monday morning, handcuffed and wearing a green long sleeve Burton snowboards T-shirt.
He had a mowhawk-style haircut, and didn't speak or show any expression during the hearing.
Assistant District Attorney Erin Donnelly told the judge that prosecutors have credible witnesses and a strong case against Zoller, when asking the judge to order him to continue to be held on $50,000 cash.
"Although he has no criminal record, the allegations are extensive and major," Donnelly argued.
Zoller's attorney, John Gallant of Chelmsford, called his client "a fine gentleman" and asked the judge to set bail at $5,000.
"We understand this is a tragic case," Gallant told the judge.
Zoller lost his license because of the crash, and is not likely to flee while the case is pending, Gallant said.
He helps support his parents -- his father is 72 -- and the family "is not of substantial financial means," Gallant said.
"Mr. Zoller is a member of a sponsored mountain biking team," Gallant added.
Brennan listened to the lawyers' arguments, then sided with the prosecutor.
Zoller is due back in court for a pre-trial conference on May 23.
He had several family members in court, which Gallant pointed out to the judge.
Zoller's supporters declined to be interviewed by the throngs of print and broadcast media waiting outside the courthouse.
"We're just here to support him," said one man in Zoller's family's group.
DiSessa moved in with her sweetheart's family when she was 16, James Rousseau's family members said.
James Rousseau, who works as a mechanic, recently bought a motorcycle for himself, in order to let DiSessa use the couple's SUV whenever she needed it, his family said.
The crash has left the SUV severely damaged, according to police.
Rousseau's brand-new Suzuki motorcycle sat in front of his parents' house on Monday.
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_3749591
Suspect posts bond in motor vehicle homicide case
By J.J. Huggins
Katelyn DiSessa's aunt, Cheryl Medeiros, cries during David Zoller's arraignment at Clinton District Court, Monday. (SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE PHOTO / SARAH BRITAIN)
CLINTON -- Cheryl Medeiros walked into court Monday morning holding a white baby blanket that had been meant for her niece's son.
She, along with roughly two dozen other distraught family members, attended the arraignment for the man who police say drove drunk and caused the wreck that killed Katelyn DiSessa, 21, and her unborn child.
"She just wanted to be the best mother she could be," Medeiros said to a group of reporters standing in the hallway at Clinton District Court.
DiSessa was engaged to be married to James Rousseau, 21. The baby, which was due in late May or early June, would have been the couple's first.
Police allege David E. Zoller, 33, of 14 White Pine Drive, Littleton, crossed the center line on Sterling Street/Route 62 in Lancaster shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday, and struck the couple's sport utility vehicle.
The impact left DiSessa trapped inside the SUV. Firefighters extricated her and rescue crews transported her to Clinton hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival, according to police.
Medical workers tried to save the baby, but couldn't, according to police.
Rousseau, who had been at the wheel of the couple's Chevrolet SUV, sustained minor injuries, according to police.
Zoller escaped injury, according to police.
Zoller appeared in Clinton District Court on Monday morning, facing two counts of motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence of liquor, failing to keep right for an oncoming vehicle and a marked lanes violation.
District court Judge Martha Brennan ordered him held on $50,000 cash bail, or $500,000 surety on Monday.
"I think the judge did the right thing," Rousseau's mother, Denise, said during an interview at her home on Wilson Street in Clinton after the hearing.
Sheriff's deputies took Zoller to the Worcester County House of Correction on Monday.
He posted bail at the jail late in the afternoon, according to Keith Mitchell, a spokesman for Sheriff Guy Glodis.
"He's getting bailed out," Mitchell said.
Some of DiSessa's and Rousseau's family members sobbed loudly while sitting in court that morning.
The couple were ecstatic to be having their first child, their family members said.
The crash happened when they were driving home to their new apartment at 18 Green Wood Drive in Leominster -- where they already had a room for the baby -- family members said.
"She wore her seat belt every time she got in the car ... and this guy was coming at them drunk," Medeiros said.
DiSessa had been looking forward to motherhood, and her baby shower on April 1 was one of the happiest days in her life, Medeiros said.
"She was like, 'Auntie, I can't wait to see my baby,'" Medeiros said.
The baby would have been named James Jr., according to Rousseau's father, Gerry, who also attended the arraignment.
Rousseau, after the crash, kept asking if his bride-to-be would be all right, according to Lancaster Police Officer Juan D. Ramos.
"All he said was, 'Is she going to be OK?'" Ramos wrote in his police report, which graphically described the scene where DiSessa was trapped inside the SUV.
Steven Fugure, an off-duty Sterling police officer, witnessed the wreck and told Ramos he was driving behind the couple's SUV when Zoller began driving straight at them, according to Ramos' report.
Rousseau, who was heading west, swerved to the left to avoid Zoller's white 2003 Ford van, but the van struck the passenger's side of the SUV, Fugere told Ramos, according to Ramos' report.
Zoller smelled like alcohol, slurred his words and had bloodshot eyes when he spoke to Ramos after the crash, according to Ramos' report.
Police arrested Zoller after he failed field sobriety tests, according to Ramos.
He admitted he had "two or three beers" at his friend's house after going mountain biking at the Worcester airport, according to another report written by Lancaster Police Officer John T. McNally.
McNally later informed Zoller that DiSessa had died and medical workers were trying to save the baby, while Zoller sat in the prisoner's cage at the Lancaster police station, according to McNally's report.
Zoller responded by saying, "OK," McNally wrote.
McNally then talked to Zoller about a half-hour later, after the hospital called and told the officer the baby died too, according to McNally's report.
Zoller again replied by saying, "OK," McNally wrote in his report.
"He showed no emotion whatsoever, nor did he ask any questions about the victims of the accident," McNally wrote.
Police held Zoller on $50,000 cash bail until his arraignment on Monday.
He appeared in court Monday morning, handcuffed and wearing a green long sleeve Burton snowboards T-shirt.
He had a mowhawk-style haircut, and didn't speak or show any expression during the hearing.
Assistant District Attorney Erin Donnelly told the judge that prosecutors have credible witnesses and a strong case against Zoller, when asking the judge to order him to continue to be held on $50,000 cash.
"Although he has no criminal record, the allegations are extensive and major," Donnelly argued.
Zoller's attorney, John Gallant of Chelmsford, called his client "a fine gentleman" and asked the judge to set bail at $5,000.
"We understand this is a tragic case," Gallant told the judge.
Zoller lost his license because of the crash, and is not likely to flee while the case is pending, Gallant said.
He helps support his parents -- his father is 72 -- and the family "is not of substantial financial means," Gallant said.
"Mr. Zoller is a member of a sponsored mountain biking team," Gallant added.
Brennan listened to the lawyers' arguments, then sided with the prosecutor.
Zoller is due back in court for a pre-trial conference on May 23.
He had several family members in court, which Gallant pointed out to the judge.
Zoller's supporters declined to be interviewed by the throngs of print and broadcast media waiting outside the courthouse.
"We're just here to support him," said one man in Zoller's family's group.
DiSessa moved in with her sweetheart's family when she was 16, James Rousseau's family members said.
James Rousseau, who works as a mechanic, recently bought a motorcycle for himself, in order to let DiSessa use the couple's SUV whenever she needed it, his family said.
The crash has left the SUV severely damaged, according to police.
Rousseau's brand-new Suzuki motorcycle sat in front of his parents' house on Monday.