Northampton Man Who Told Police He Hit Deer, Admits To Killing Woman, Gets 5 Years: DA

A Northampton man who pleaded guilty to running over and killing a 45-year-old woman last year despite telling police he hit a deer the night before will spend the next five years in prison, authorities said.

Peter E. Toomey pleaded guilty to killing a 45-year-old woman as she made her daily walk in Shelburne with a friend, authorities said.
Photo Credit: *Canva/DNY59*

Josh Lanier

11/29/2022 5:28 p.m.

Peter E. Toomey, 53, was sentenced to five years in prison and will lose his license for 15 years after he admitted to leaving the scene of a death, lying to police, and negligent motor vehicle homicide, the Northwestern Assistant District Attorney's said. He must also serve five years on probation after he gets out of jail.

Toomey killed Rhonda Thompson as she made her morning walk with a friend along Route 2 in Shelburne on June 8, 2021, around 6:30 a.m., the prosecutor alleged.

Toomey originally told police that the damage to his car happened when he hit a deer, authorities said. He even got a friend to corroborate the story to investigators.

Data showed that Toomey never slowed down despite having an unobstructed view of Thompson for 800 feet before the impact, the prosecutor said. Investigators said there were no other cars on the road, solar glare, or mechanical issues that would have caused the crash.

Police said Thompson died at the scene 15 minutes after being hit.

Her family gave impact statements to the court before the sentence was announced. Thompson's daughter wrote that "a bit of me died when she died."

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