PROVIDENCE, RI — A Westerly man will spend more than eight years in state prison after a judge sentenced him for a 2023 drunken-driving crash that killed a pedestrian on Oak Street. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said Thursday that 39-year-old Matthew Lyons received a 15-year sentence, with 8 and a half years to serve.
Lyons was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, complete substance abuse treatment and surrender his driver’s license for five years after his release. A jury convicted him in June after a seven-day trial on counts of driving under the influence resulting in death and driving to endanger resulting in death.
How the crash unfolded on Oak Street in Westerly
Prosecutors said Lyons was driving under the influence late on Feb. 16, 2023, when he struck 31-year-old Michael DePaola in Westerly. DePaola was found lying on the sidewalk with serious injuries, according to police, and was taken to Westerly Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The case centered on what officers and witnesses saw immediately after the crash. Prosecutors said a witness told investigators that Lyons flagged her down in the middle of the street, said he had hit a pedestrian and asked her to call 911. Officers said they observed signs of impairment when they spoke with Lyons at the scene.
Blood alcohol test came back above Rhode Island's legal limit
Lyons admitted he had consumed alcohol before the crash and took field sobriety tests, prosecutors said. A breath test administered about two hours after the collision showed a blood alcohol content of 0.109%, which is above Rhode Island’s legal limit of 0.08%.
That test result became a key part of the state’s case. The Attorney General’s Office said the combination of witness statements, officer observations and the breath test supported the verdict returned by the jury in June.
Judge pairs prison term with probation, treatment and license loss
The sentence includes more than prison time. Lyons received 15 years of probation in addition to the 8.5 years he must serve at the Adult Correctional Institutions, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
He must also complete substance abuse treatment and give up his license for five years after his release. The court’s order means Lyons will remain under supervision well after his prison term ends, with the treatment requirement built into the punishment.
Attorney general says the crash left a lasting loss for family and friends
In a statement, Neronha said Lyons’ actions cut short Michael’s life and left his family and community without “a son, a brother, a friend.” He described DePaola as, by all accounts, a great person.
The attorney general’s office announced the sentence Thursday after the case had moved through trial and conviction earlier this year. The punishment closes one phase of a case that began with the deadly crash nearly three years ago.
Westerly police and state investigators helped build the case
The Westerly Police Department, its Accident Reconstruction Team and the Rhode Island State Police all assisted with the investigation. Their work helped prosecutors document the scene, gather witness accounts and support the charges that led to the conviction.
Officials did not announce any further charges tied to the crash. For Lyons, the court outcome now includes prison, probation, treatment, a financial penalty and a long stretch without a driver’s license once he is released.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
