By BOB DUNN
@BDGazette
NORTHAMPTON — A former juvenile court lawyer, already serving a prison sentence for running down and killing a 22-year-old man in South Hadley in 2010, is now defending himself in a wrongful death suit filed by the victim’s family.
Craig Barton, 46, formerly of Springfield, now serving a five- to seven-year prison sentence at the Cedar Junction Correctional Institution in Walpole, is being sued for unspecified damages in connection with the death of Frederick “Joey” Kareta III of Westfield.
In his five-minute opening statement yesterday, attorney John Ross of Springfield, who represents the Kareta family, said Barton was traveling at an “outrageously fast speed,” and was nearly “comatose” from drinking earlier in the day when he fatally struck Kareta.
During a two-minute opening statement, Barton asked the jury of nine women and five men to “keep an open mind” as they hear the details of the case, noting that the opinions given by witnesses about his rate of speed and level of intoxication are only that.
Kareta was killed Aug. 28, 2010, when he was getting mail for his aunt from her mailbox on Brainerd Street in South Hadley and was struck by the car Barton was driving.
Barton had been at The Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley and admitted to having at least “four or five” drinks there before getting behind the wheel about 3:30 p.m.
A few minutes later, Barton was driving on Brainerd Street between “75 and 80” mph in the posted 30-mph zone, according to witness William Scott, a state trooper who was off duty at the time but saw Barton lose control of his car while trying to take a sharp corner.
Barton struck Kareta while he was at the mailbox and knocked him back about 80 feet, according to Scott, then struck another car head-on before coming to a stop.
Scott said he approached Barton’s vehicle to see if he was injured. Scott said Barton tried to put his keys back in the ignition and start the car when Scott asked him for his license and registration.
Scott said Barton couldn’t find his registration and after failing to get it out of the glove box, told Scott, “You get it.”
Scott said while he was dealing with Barton, he did not know that Kareta had already been hit and killed.
According to information presented at Barton’s criminal trial, after leaving the Orchards, he was on his way to a bar in Holyoke when he lost control of his car.
In September of 2011, Barton pleaded guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol.
The civil trial is expected to last about three days.
Bob Dunn can be reached at [email protected].
