Boat Crash Trial: 37 Years on the Line

0:00It's May 1st. Welcome in. This is Hartford News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Cory with the story. A 28-year-old guy from Lyme, Connecticut named Clayton Hackling just rejected a sweet plea deal in a deadly boat crash case. This went down on Labor Day, September 2nd, 2024, and Old Saberook, where his boats slammed into a break-wall, killing three people. The offer was a guilty plea for 30-year sentence, suspended after 15-year served, plus five years probation. Judge warned him, trial could mean up to 37 years behind bars. Now his case hits the trial list. No date said yet. Picture this. Nine folks on a 31-foot motorboat heading back from Black Island around 9 p.m. It wrecked near Harbor 1 Marina, half sunk. Six got pulled from the water, but a search found three victims who didn't make it. 34-year-old Christopher Hallahan from Westbrook, 25-year-old Ian Dushaman from Oakdale, and 24-year-old Ryan Britannia from Waterford. Cops from

1:01environmental conservation say Hackling drove reckless and under the influence. The hit in which charges like 2nd-degree man's ladder, with the Vessel Times 3, plus reckless operation in DUI on the water. A rest came in January 2025, after digging into the evidence, he's out on a $350,000 bond. While his lawyer reviews more details. With the plea off the table, this hits the trial, and we'll see if the max sticks or what shakes out in court.