'Our house is quiet as a tomb': Drunk driver who killed 'pure' 13-year-old girl in cocaine-fueled crash learns fate



A grieving Massachusetts family is attempting to put the pieces together after a drunk driver killed a "sunny" 13-year-old girl in a cocaine-fueled crash.

Gregory Goodsell, 36, attended his company's Christmas party in December 2019. Goodsell was so intoxicated that his co-workers said they tried to prevent him from driving, but he ignored them, the Boston Herald previously reported.

'After Claire died, I didn't want to live.'

Goodsell allegedly attended an after-party at a home before getting behind the wheel of his company truck. Police said Goodsell struck a tree while driving the white Ford F-250 truck, which broke his passenger-side headlight around 6:40 a.m. Dec. 29.

Goodsell reportedly ran a red light and smashed into a Subaru while he was drunk and high on cocaine in Pembroke.

"Through evidence and witness interviews, investigators determined that Goodsell was intoxicated with a BAC of 0.266, under the influence of cocaine, and passed through a red light at 67 miles per hour before broadsiding the Subaru," the office of Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz stated.

At the time of the crash, police found a bottle of whiskey, a beer can, two nip bottles, marijuana, and a pipe in Goodsell's vehicle.

“I’m so [expletive] up. … I know I shouldn’t have been driving. … I can’t believe I did this. … I drank way too much, I’m so sorry,” Goodsell reportedly told police officers at the scene of the fatal crash.

Investigators determined that the Subaru broadsided by Goodsell contained 51-year-old driver Elizabeth Zisserson; her daughter, 13-year-old Claire Zisserson; and Claire’s 13-year-old friend Kendall Zemotel.

Claire was killed in the crash.

Her mother and friend suffered what the DA's office described as “catastrophic injuries.”

Claire's friend Kendall recalled standing “speechless” while looking at herself in the mirror for the first time at the hospital and seeing a large scar on her right cheek, under her eye, with a feeding tube coming out of her nose.

“Emotionally, I think about something that I know I shouldn’t, but I really can’t help myself — what I could have done to prevent this from happening to us,” Kendall wrote in an impact statement that was read by a prosecutor in the courtroom. “I could have just gone to the bathroom before we left the house that day or taken a little longer to get ready. … I could have saved Claire’s life if I was a minute late to everything I did that morning.”

Kendall added, “Claire was my best friend, the sister I never had, and my twin. Claire was always there for me before I even realized I needed someone. It is so extremely hard to process that Claire is gone. She deserved so, so, so much more out of life.”

Claire's mother said that her emotional scars will never heal.

"After Claire died, I didn't want to live," Zisserson said in court as she wiped away tears. "The ache of Claire's loss is overwhelming to me."

"My world changed the day that Claire was killed. I don't recognize the person I am today, versus the one I used to be," the heartbroken mother explained. "I was a super-busy mom juggling sports, Scouts, carpools, school projects, away games, and everything else in daily life."

“Life was happy and busy and crazy, and we talked about the future with hope and excitement, but now I function in survival mode ruled by loss, fear, and grief," Zisserson added. "The car crash destroyed my life and caused a ripple effect of damage that can never be undone.”

"Our table of four is now three. Our house is quiet as a tomb," she expressed. "The colors of our world are dull."

'Nobody should ever have to attempt to live through the pain that I’ve caused to all these people through my careless, destructive behavior.'

Claire's father, Ken Zisserson, added, "One day Claire was here, and the next, she was gone forever."

"When someone says, 'I can't even imagine,' I reply, 'You shouldn't have to. It's not natural,'" he noted.

Claire was described as “pure” and “sunny” by those who knew her best, according to the Patriot Ledger.

Late last month, a jury convicted Goodsell of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while operating under the influence, leaving the scene of property damage, and two counts of operating under the influence causing serious bodily injury.

Before sentencing, the anguished mother asked the judge, "Please help me keep him from ever doing this again. He can watch the sunrise every day, but Claire won't ever see another sunrise. And we won't ever escape the devastation of losing Claire."

Judge Diane Freniere sentenced Goodsell to life in prison for the murder charge and eight years in prison for seriously injuring Kendall, which will run concurrently with a six-year sentence for injuring Elizabeth Zisserson. Goodsell also will serve 12 years for manslaughter concurrently with the murder sentence.

Goodsell will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years.

“Judicial discretion does not commit to the court to assign a value to a victim’s life because every human life is incalculable,” the judge told Goodsell. “I have considered the life of an innocent, remarkable bright light, Claire Zisserson, a 13-year-old girl beloved by her family, and a compassionate and kind friend who was taken because of your criminal conduct.”

Goodsell said during sentencing, “I shamefully take responsibility for what happened.”

“Nobody should ever have to attempt to live through the pain that I’ve caused to all these people through my careless, destructive behavior,” Goodsell read from a prepared statement. “If I could go back to that day and die, instead of Claire, I would in a heartbeat.”

“The constant nightmares, never being able to sleep because of what I did that morning, that is something that I will carry with me for the remainder of my life,” he continued. “Sorry is an understatement. I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart.”

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FACT CHECK: No, Serena Williams Was Not Killed In Car Accident?

A post shared on social media purports that Tennis star Serena Williams died in a car crash recently. Verdict: False Williams has been active on Instagram since the claim has been made. Fact Check: Tennis player Naomi Osaka has chosen to work with Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou and has since won a match at the China […]

Father uses app to track down teen daughters only to see their tragic fate in person: 'It's just unreal'



A father in New York state is sharing the heartbreaking account of how he learned of the tragic deaths of his two teenage daughters after using an app to track their location.

Hailey Trumble, 19, and Shelby Trumble, 17, went to the Seabreeze Amusement Park in Rochester, New York, on Aug. 1.

'It's just unreal. ... I still can't come to terms with it.'

Before the teens left the home, their father gave them $100 for the amusement park and told them he loved them, and to "have fun and behave," according to People magazine.

Brian Trumble, 45, said of the talk with his daughters earlier that morning, "Of course, they were adults. They didn't need to be told to be behaved, but this is what I always tell them."

Trumble had no idea that it would be their final face-to-face conversation.

After spending the day at the amusement park with Trumble's girlfriend, the sisters returned to her home before going back out again late that afternoon.

When a text to his daughters received no reply, Trumble used the Find My Friends app to determine their location. He saw that they had not moved from a point on a local road in the nearby town of Cato, approximately 3 miles away.

As Trumble neared the location, a police officer blocking the way stopped him, informing him that there had been a terrible car accident in which a girl had died.

"I just sat on my bumper and I couldn't stand up," Trumble recalled of the gut-wrenching moment.

Josh Lovejoy, one of the firemen at the scene of the fatal car crash, told Trumble that he stayed with Hailey right until the end.

The distraught father soon learned that Shelby also succumbed to her injuries from the deadly car accident.

The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that the girls were driving eastbound in their 2005 Chevy Cobalt when the "vehicle crested a hill and crossed into the opposite lane, striking a second vehicle."

The Cobalt smashed into a 2016 Jeep Cherokee being driven by a 59-year-old woman. She was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries and was said to be in stable condition, according to police.

Trumble believes his daughters were unfamiliar with the road, which he described as being "hilly" and winding.

Since his daughters' tragic deaths, the family has "been holding on to each other and just coping and trying to deal," said Trumble.

"It's just unreal," he added. "I still can't come to terms with it."

Trumble said the knowledge that Hailey and Shelby would be cremated and interred "so they'll always be together" gave him some peace.

As does telling the world about his girls, who he said were both "simple country girls" at heart.

"I want people to know their story," he said. "They were sweet and beautiful and just lovely."

"They touched so many people," Trumble continued. "Everybody that met them just loved them ... They were pretty much just figuring out what they were wanting to do."

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist the family in paying for the funerals. At the time of publication, it had raised over $46,000.

A funeral service for Hailey and Shelby will be held Aug. 10 at Traub Funeral Home in Central Square, New York.

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Minnesota trooper charged in 'full throttle' crash that killed high school cheerleader weeks before graduation



A Minnesota state trooper has been criminally charged for allegedly causing a three-vehicle crash that injured five and killed a high school cheerleader just two weeks before her graduation.

Around 5:45 p.m. on May 18, Trooper Shane Roper of the Minnesota State Patrol was involved in the car crash. The 32-year-old trooper reportedly T-boned the passenger side of a Ford Focus "at full throttle" at an intersection in Rochester, Minnesota.

The Olmsted County Attorney's Office said Roper collided with the Focus at 83 mph in a 40 mph zone.

"Trooper Roper maintained a full throttle without lights or sirens," the office stated in a press release. "Investigation revealed that Trooper Roper did not come off the full throttle until the Focus started into the intersection, approximately 1.4 seconds before impact. Trooper Roper’s vehicle violently impacted the Focus."

The Ford Focus was being driven by 21-year-old Angelina Bartz, and her passengers were 19-year-old Katarina Bartz and 18-year-old Olivia Flores. The friends were on a “fun outing for Katarina’s birthday” and driving to the mall when the car accident happened, according to a GoFundMe set up for the Bartz sisters.

The car crash took the life of Flores, who succumbed to her injuries a day after the accident, according to a statement by the Rochester Police Department.

Angelina reportedly suffered a fractured rib, traumatic brain injury, bruised liver, lacerated kidney, sprained wrist and finger, whiplash, and extensive bruising. Katarina sustained a shattered pelvis requiring surgery, a fractured rib, traumatic brain injury, and severe bruising.

A third car, a Toyota Rav4, was involved in the accident, and two passengers were allegedly injured.

A ride-along passenger in Roper's cruiser was also wounded, according to police.

A law firm representing Flores' family – Restovich Braun and Associates – said Roper has a "documented history of shocking, dangerous, and unlawful driving conduct while on duty."

The firm claimed Roper was disciplined for four previous crashes "due to excessive speed, inattentive driving, or both."

Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said in a statement, "Trooper Roper, violating his duty in such a gross fashion, caused the death of a young lady celebrating her impending graduation from high school. Several other persons suffered serious injuries. Roper’s conduct violated the State Patrol’s Core Values. As with any other person driving recklessly and without regard to very basic rules of the road, Mr. Roper’s conduct cannot be tolerated."

Trooper Roper reportedly hit speeds as high as 135 mph — 99 mph over the speed limit — without using his emergency lights and sirens during one of the four times he was speeding on May 18 before smashing into the side of the Focus.

On July 9, Roper was charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide in connection with her death, the Olmsted County Attorney’s office said in a statement.

Flores was a cheerleader for the Owatonna High School Huskies and was set to graduate in two weeks.

A separate GoFundMe set up for the Flores family said of her parents, "Instead of planning Olivia’s graduation party and celebrating her next chapter in life, Steph and Carlos are left picking up the pieces of this tragedy."

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Fetterman And Wife Hospitalized After Car Accident

'The crash investigation remains active and ongoing'

Illinois HS senior killed in 'fast and furious' crash before graduation by alleged drunk driver racing 131 mph: 'Most genuine human'



A high school senior's promising future was tragically cut short three weeks before graduation after he was involved in a devastating car crash that split his car in half. Authorities say the Illinois teen was killed in a "fast and furious" accident caused by a drunk driver racing at 131 mph and had his lights off.

Around 11 p.m. on May 12, 21-year-old Taeyoung Kim was reportedly racing his 2021 Ford Mustang at speeds exceeding 130 mph in Glenview, Illinois – a suburb approximately 20 miles northwest of Chicago.

Police said Kim's own dashcam captured him speeding, aggressively passing other vehicles, and running a red light.

Witnesses claimed to have observe Kim driving with his headlights off, according to court documents. Kim allegedly turned his headlights back on as he was entering an intersection. However, it would be too late.

Kim's Mustang plowed into a Mercedes being driven by 17-year-old Marko Niketic.

The impact of the crash was so immense that it split Niketic's car in half – the front half was on the road and the back half flew into a nearby fence of a backyard.

Citing the bond court proffer, WMAQ-TV reported that Kim's vehicle was traveling at 131 mph just 2.5 seconds before the crash and 122 mph at the time of impact, according to the vehicle's black box.

The speed limit on Lake Avenue at that location of the car accident is 35 miles per hour.

Niketic was pronounced dead at the crime scene.

Niketic's 16-year-old girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat at the time of the car crash, suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage, hematoma of the brain, a fracture of the pelvis vertebrae, and hyper-density of the left frontal lobe of the brain with loss of consciousness and seizure.

A passenger in Kim's vehicle also sustained significant injuries, including a fractured back and a severed artery.

Niketic's unnamed girlfriend and Kim's passenger were both rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

The girlfriend was reportedly released from the hospital on Friday.

Kim allegedly sustained a broken femur in the car crash.

A blood test revealed that Kim had a blood alcohol level of .088 – above the legal limit. The test also found that he had cannabis in his system, according to court docs.

Police found a bong, rolling papers, a one-hitter cannabis pipe with residue, and two plastic containers with cannabis residue inside Kim’s vehicle during their investigation.

Kim was arrested on Friday and charged with two counts of aggravated DUI causing death, reckless homicide, aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm, DUI of alcohol, DUI of drugs, and several traffic violations, including speeding 35 mph over the limit.

Kim is being held without bond.

Kim made his first court appearance on Saturday, when the judge said the "fast and furious deadly accident" was a "brazen disregard for human life."

His next court date is scheduled for May 24.

Niketic's heartbreaking death happened exactly three weeks before he was set to graduate from Glenbrook South High School on June 2. The teenager's funeral was held two days before he was to attend his senior prom.

Last week, a vigil was held near the crash site with Niketic's heartbroken family in attendance.

Preston Shute, a friend of Niketic, told NBC Chicago, "He's one of those people, you meet him, and he’s glowing. The most genuine human ever. He had a lot of stuff ahead of him. I can’t really process it."

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Researchers predict a spike in fatal traffic accidents before and after the solar eclipse



As Americans prepare for the solar eclipse to take place on Monday, researchers have warned that it could present an increased risk of traffic accidents. Fatal collisions reportedly took place during the last eclipse, and the authorities are preparing, according to Fox News Digital.

There was a 31% increase in fatal traffic events during the total eclipse in 2017, including the days leading up to the event and after. Experts noted that the moments of darkness during the eclipse are not responsible for the accidents, but it's the time when people are driving to and from the place where they watch the event.

Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a University of Toronto professor of medicine, said, "We see a significant decrease during the single hour that involves the eclipse."

"The problem is the surrounding hours, when people are traveling to their place of observation and especially afterwards," he continued. "We're especially concerned about the drive home."

WFLA reported that Redelmeier said there are around 114 car deaths in the U.S. each day, and that number jumped to 189 per day leading up to the eclipse in 2017. Scientists have concluded that the crash numbers could be similar this year.

— (@)

“Unfamiliar pathways, distraction in the aftermath of a spectacular celestial event, inebriation from some people who are indulging in eclipse related festivals and occasional viewing the eclipse from unsafe roadside locations," Redelmeier said.

The professor has insisted that drivers obey the traffic rules, especially in the few hours following the eclipse, when he predicts the most crashes will occur.

Fox News Digital reported that NASA predicts about 31.6 million people already live within the path of totality, and another 150 million will be able to see partial totality. Many Americans are predicted to travel to where they can view the total eclipse. While the 2017 eclipse was about 70 miles wide, it is expected to be around 115 miles wide this year.

"The 2017 total solar eclipse was widely anticipated because the path of totality (locations experiencing a total eclipse) fell within 300 miles of driving distance for a third of all individuals in the U.S. An estimated 20 million people in the U.S. traveled away from home to another city to view the eclipse, resulting in substantial road traffic," researchers said. "We hypothesized that the eclipse was associated with increased risks of a fatal car crash."

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Dashcam video: Police seeking Kansas City Chiefs player allegedly involved in 6-car crash caused by Lamborghini, Corvette racing



Police want to question a Kansas City Chiefs player in connection to a car crash on Saturday that involved six vehicles in Dallas, Texas. Dashcam video shows the automobile accident was caused by a Lamborghini and a Corvette racing on a Texas expressway. The drivers of the sportscars fled the crime scene, according to police.

Officials with the Dallas Police Department told the Dallas Morning News that they are looking for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice in connection with an alleged hit-and-run accident.

A spokesperson for the Dallas Police Department told People magazine, “The drivers lost control and the Lamborghini traveled onto the shoulder and hit the center median wall, causing a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles. The occupants of the Lamborghini and the Corvette all ran from the scene without stopping to determine if anyone needed medical help or providing their information."

Police did not specify Rice's involvement in the multi-vehicle crash. The Chevrolet Corvette is believed to be registered to the 23-year-old NFL wideout.

The accident allegedly occurred around 6:20 p.m. on Saturday in the 6600 block of the North Central Expressway.

Dashcam video shows a Lamborghini SUV and a Corvette speeding down the left lane and shoulder of the expressway. The vehicles lose control after being forced to brake for traffic traveling at a much slower speed.

The black Corvette was seen disabled on the right shoulder of the road.

The black Lamborghini SUV got completely spun around and faced the wrong way in a middle lane. The occupants of the Lamborghini are seen exiting the vehicle and walking down the expressway.

Two drivers were reportedly treated at the crash site for minor injuries. Two other people involved in the crash were transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

The Dallas Police Department is still working to identify all the suspects in the crash.

Kayla Quinn, an alleged victim of the car crash involving her 4-year-old son, told the Dallas Morning News that "no one stopped."

Quinn said, "We had children, like, we had kids, you know what I’m saying? It’s the fact that there was no sympathy shown to where y’all can even have the decency to stop and check to make sure someone’s OK, someone’s alive, you know?”

Quinn added, "I'm just trying to keep my faith and just — you know, what is done in the dark comes to light, it’s all going to come face forward. You made it worse for yourself. You thought you got away, but y’all didn’t get away. I'm just blessed that I was able to walk out of there because it could have been so much worse."

The Kansas City Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the situation.

Rice was a second-round draft pick for the Chiefs last year after playing college football at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In his rookie NFL season, Rice notched 79 catches for 938 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns. He set an NFL rookie record with 26 postseason receptions during the Chiefs' Super Bowl run.

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Thug allegedly robs woman at gunpoint for pair of shoes. The whole thing ends rather painfully for him.



Things ended painfully for a male who allegedly robbed a woman at gunpoint for a pair of shoes Saturday night in Oklahoma City, as he crashed his car into a pole amid a police chase.

What are the details?

Police said the victim was trying to sell her red and silver Balenciaga shoes on Offer Up, and an individual with the username "Turbo" — later identified as 21-year-old Taber Carter — contacted her, KOKH-TV reported.

According to the New York Post, the shoes usually cost more than $1,000 new:

— (@)

The victim reported that she and Carter agreed to meet at a 7-Eleven, but Carter never showed up, the station said.

The victim and her mother then went to a T-Mobile store on Northwest Expressway when Carter messaged the victim asking where she was, KOKH said.

Police said Carter met the victim at T-Mobile, and when the victim walked up to Carter's vehicle, he pulled out a black "Glock-like" pistol, pointed it at the victim's head, and demanded the shoes, the station said.

The victim said she gave him the shoes but was able to reach into the car and take one shoe back as Carter was driving away, KOKH reported.

Carter turned back to demand the other shoe, but the victim told him she'd already locked it inside her car, the station said, citing the police report, and Carter drove off.

What happened next?

Two hours later, police were called to perform a welfare check, KOTV-TV reported. Turns out Carter was passed out in a car that matched the description of the shoe robbery suspect's vehicle, KOTV said.

When officers awakened Carter, they said he drove away, which triggered a police pursuit, KOTV reported.

Alas, Carter crashed into a pole near Northwest 36th Street and Meridian Avenue, KOTV noted, which caused a power outage in the area as well as a small grass fire that was quickly extinguished.

Carter was taken into custody and booked into jail, KOTV said.

Jail records indicate he was charged with endangering others while eluding police as well as robbery or attempted with a dangerous weapon. Carter remained in jail Wednesday afternoon.

The Post, citing police, said Carter also was injured — with his mugshot showing his right eye swollen shut as well as numerous scrapes on his right forehead and nose. The paper said Carter is being held with no bail.

Police warned those who meet others in person for transactions to do so in public places with lots of cameras, such as police stations.

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Illegal immigrant from Venezuela charged after causing car crash that killed 12-year-old Missouri boy



An illegal immigrant from Venezuela has been charged with manslaughter after she caused a car crash in Missouri that killed a 12-year-old boy. The New York Post reported that the immigrant was traveling on the wrong side of the road when the crash occurred.

Edina Bracho, 33, was reportedly speeding on the opposite side of the road in Hazelwood in December when her minivan smashed into a Jeep with Travis Wolfe and his parents inside. Bracho was traveling 75 miles per hour in a 40-mile-per-hour speed zone.

The crash occurred just one day before Wolfe's birthday.

The boy was quickly rushed to St. Louis Children's Hospital, where he was ultimately put on life support. He remained on life support for three months before passing away from his injuries on Wednesday.

Bracho was charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of assault in the second degree, two counts of endangering a child in the first degree, and a single count of operating a vehicle without a valid license, according to KTVI.

Court documents revealed that "the defendant is here illegally from Venezuela."

Sgt. Scott Schnurbusch of the Hazelwood Police Department said, “That did not play a part in our investigation. It was just difficult identifying all parties involved because we didn’t have documentation or identifications in the vehicle to try to figure out who the two juveniles and the suspect were."

Bracho is reportedly in custody and awaiting trial. She is currently being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond. She is set to have a bond reduction hearing on April 8, per reports.

“1,700 feet is quite a big distance to travel at over 70 miles an hour on a 40-mile posted road. That’s a long way to travel in the wrong direction and not realize,” Schnurbusch said.

A GoFundMe was set up for the Wolfe family by a woman named Andrea. It reads: "Hi my name is Andrea and I am helping the sweet family of Billy's friend Travis. Travis and his parents were in a horrific head on crash in late December, sadly the day before Travis's 12th birthday."

"Travis was severely injured and has been hospitalized ever since. Please join me in donating funds to support the family with medical expenses."

At the time of this report, $23,536 of a goal of $30,000 has been raised so far.

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