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Wilton man escapes felony conviction

By Damien Fisher - Staff Writer | Feb 10, 2018

NASHUA – The Wilton man who injured three friends when he flipped his pick-up truck four-wheeling on trails off Perry Road in Milford was found not guilty on all felony counts, but guilty on three misdemeanor assault charges.

The jury returned guilty verdict on three counts of vehicular assault against Zachary Krol, 20, of 834 Mason Road in Wilton on Friday afternoon in the Hillsborough Superior Court in Nashua. The more serious felonies, several counts of reckless conduct and second degree assault, carried potential time in the New Hampshire State Prison. The misdemeanors carry maximum potential sentences of up to one year in a county jail.

Krol will be sentenced sometime within the next month, and remains free on $25,000 cash bail.

The incident that resulted in the trial took place in the summer of 2016, when Krol and his friends decided to take his Dodge 2500 pickup onto trails for off-road fun. Krol, then 18, was driving, Mitch Rota, 19, was in the front passenger seat and Joseph Bellantoni, 20, Kyle Labrie, 16, and Justin Tweedy, 15, got in the bed of the truck.

According to statements made in court, Krol steered the truck down a trail that soon opened into a field. Krol allegedly drove onto the field and hit the gas pedal. Krol was reportedly revving the engine to “do a donut” with the truck.

Within seconds, the truck started to tumble and flip, and the three young men in the bed were tossed into the air. The truck ended up on its roof, and Bellantoni, Labrie and Tweedy lay on the ground with serious injuries, including broken bones.

The parcel, sometimes referred to as the “Brox pit,” is off Perry Road in the northwest section of Milford, and about halfway between Route 101 and the Heron Pond Elementary School. It is partly owned by the town, according to testimony, and by a group called “Not Too Dusty Field LLC,” under the name Paul K. Amato.

Milford Police Officer Ryan Rothhaus testified seeing the young men on the ground, one, Labrie, with a bone sticking out of his leg.

The victims in the case are expected to be contacted before the sentencing hearing.

Damien Fisher can be reached at 594-1245 or dfisher@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DF.

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