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Mary Nelson of Leverett was convicted of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and will serve two years of probation and give up her license for 15 years, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.
Nelson was accused of killing 57-year-old Kevin Douville of Belchertown after she failed to yield to oncoming traffic and turned left in front of Douville's motorcycle on Long Plain Road (Route 63), the prosecutor said. Karen Mercier, Douville’s partner who was also on the bike, was seriously injured in the crash, the prosecutor's office said.
The jury deliberated for about an hour before returning the guilty verdict.
“The Commonwealth is thankful that this verdict brings a measure of justice and closure for the Douville family,” said Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Joseph Webber in a news release. “This outcome was made possible by the hard work and thorough investigation of the Leverett Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police.”
Douville's family wrote in his obituary that he was a lifelong gearhead who loved to work on Harley-Davidson motorcycles almost as much as he loved riding them. They called him a talented craftsman with a humble heart.
"Kevin made things better," the obituary said. "He made people better. He fixed things that were broken and improved things that were not. Everything around him – everyone around him – was better because of him. ... To say that he will always be missed is an understatement. To say that he will always be loved and remembered falls woefully short."
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