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Saratoga County resident John Lincoln-Lynch, age 57, of Moreau, was sentenced to an indeterminate term of one to three years in prison in Saratoga County Court on Tuesday, Oct. 31.
It followed his guilty plea to a felony charge of leaving the scene of the crash that claimed the life of 67-year-old South Glens Falls native Paul Trombley.
According to prosecutors, it was around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, when Lincoln-Lynch struck Trombley with his car as the man walked along Main Street in South Glens Falls, not far from a Stewart’s Shops convenience store.
Instead of checking to see if he was okay, Lincoln-Lynch fled the scene.
With no witnesses to the crime, it seemed unlikely that the case would be solved.
But then, two days later, investigators with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office recovered pieces of the vehicle involved and brought them to a local paint shop, where employees determined the parts came from a Subaru Forester.
With their new lead, deputies fanned out across the South Glens Falls area, eventually spotting Lincoln-Lynch’s same Subaru Forester at his home on Bluebird Drive.
Members of the New York State Police Computer Forensic team were then able to place him near the scene of the crash using cell phone tower location data.
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Lincoln-Lynch copped to the charge just as jury selection was getting underway.
Trombley was a retired teacher, having taught business at Glens Falls High School, as well as Stillwater and South Glens Falls high schools, according to his obituary.
During his career, he coached several sports, including baseball, football, wrestling, and soccer. He also coached his son’s Little League team and played in several men’s softball leagues.
Emotions were high as several of his friends and relatives packed the courtroom for Tuesday’s sentencing, including his wife, Lucinda.
While addressing the court, she made it clear that she was not satisfied with Lincoln-Lynch’s sentencing, which is capped at seven years under state law.
“I have been given a sentence of life without Paul,” she said. “The maximum sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years for this crime is not enough. The victims of this crime deserve more respect than that for this crime.”
Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen echoed the sentiment and called on state lawmakers to increase the penalty for fleeing a deadly crash to 15 years in prison.
“Today’s sentencing brings a measure of closure to a deeply painful chapter for the Trombley family and our community,” Heggen said.
“This case is an example of why the law must continue to evolve to ensure justice is served in cases like the one today.”
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