Hit-and-run driver gets more than 5 years in prison
NEW HAVEN — If a Branford man hadn’t fled after hitting a bicyclist with his car, the bicyclist said he might still have his left leg and more use of his left arm.
Instead, the driver, R. Neal Stom, “left me to die in a gully of a cow pasture out of sight from the road,” said the bicyclist, John Bysiewicz, during Stom’s sentencing in state Superior Court in New Haven Thursday.
Stom hit Bysiewicz on Route 146, or Leetes Island Road, in Guilford on Nov. 12, 2022.
“He did not brake,” Bysiewicz, 61, said. “It’s a miracle I’m alive today.”
Superior Court Judge Judge Frank Iannotti sentenced Stom to 66 months in prison, followed by three years of probation, with the possibility of serving up to 13 years if he fails to comply with the terms of his release.
Stom, 32, previously pleaded guilty to seconddegree assault and evading responsibility resulting in serious physical injury. He was free on a $100,000 bond before he was taken into custody Thursday.
Before the crash, Bysiewicz was an avid runner and cyclist. The shoreline triathlete said he was a top competitor in his age group. Athletics are also part of his career. As the owner of JB Sports, he organizes some 20 road races across the state.
Days after the November 2022 incident, John Bysiewicz said he woke up in the hospital with part of his left leg, and his entire left foot, gone. He since has undergone numerous surgeries and spent dozens of days in the hospital. He uses a prosthetic leg to walk and still does not have full mobility of his left arm, he said in court Thursday.
“All my life, I had a passion for athletic competition,” Bysiewicz said. “And now my ability to compete has been stolen from me.”
Before imposing the sentence, Iannotti told Stom that this is something that will never go away.
“You have changed the course of their destiny,” he said.
Iannotti also talked about Stom’s actions on the day of the crash.
“You knew exactly what you did the moment that you did it,” he said. “You didn’t know in that moment if he’s alive or dead . ... The only thing you thought about that moment was yourself.”
On the afternoon of Nov. 12, 2022, Stom was driving in the westbound lane when he crossed over the center line and into the eastbound lane, hitting Bysiewicz, the brother of Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, on a bicycle, according to a Guilford police report.
Stom fled in his black 2018 Honda Accord, leaving Bysiewicz seriously injured, police said.
About 15 minutes later, a driver stopped and found Bysiewicz after seeing pieces of Bysiewicz’s bicycle and other debris strewn out on the road. Guilford Police Chief Warren “Butch” Hyatt said this good Samaritan “was probably instrumental in saving the person’s life.”
Police received information that Stom may have been involved in the collision and later found him at his home in Branford. He was charged that day, court records indicate.
Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney David J. Strollo, who prosecuted the case, said Stom called police from more than a mile away from the crash scene, and claimed the bicyclist continued to ride away. Stom refused to have blood drawn for authorities to see whether he was driving under the influence. When he spoke to police, Stom used disparaging language and showed no concern for the bicyclist, Strollo said.
“He showed his true colors,” Strollo noted.
Bysiewicz spent three months living at Yale New Haven and Gaylord hospitals. Since returning home about 13 months ago, he has had more than 140 physical therapy sessions, 38 doctor’s appointments and three surgeries. He also has spent 200 hours hooked up to IV antibiotics and 100 days on oral or IV antibiotics, he said in court.
Bysiewicz said he spends, on average, 40 hours a week on his recovery, including physical therapy, exercise and time with a brace that stretches out his arm.
Bysiewicz also said that, despite being with Stom multiple times in court, Stom has never looked him in the eyes or apologized.
“He has shown no remorse,” he said.
Don Cretella, Stom’s lawyer, said his client wanted to apologize from the beginning, but legally he didn’t allow that to happen.
Stom’s mother, sister and a friend spoke to Iannotti before the sentencing, also expressing how much remorse he had. Family members also recalled how Stom has been a devoted uncle and has never missed a special occasion.
“His family is everything to him,” his sister said tearfully.
As for his delay in calling police, Stom’s sister said her brother panicked, and his severe anxiety overtook him.
Stom spoke as well, reading from a piece of paper, saying he acted “poorly, cowardly and irresponsibly” on the day of the crash.
He apologized for the harm he caused and said he would strive to be a better person.
Before imposing the sentence, Iannotti commented on Stom’s statements, saying he missed his moment to apologize to Bysiewicz directly. Iannotti said he would’ve allowed Stom to turn to Bysiewicz, but he didn’t.
Iannotti also acknowledged Stom’s family’s statements, saying it seemed Stom lived a good life and did the right things prior to the crash.
In a statement after the sentencing, Cretella said his client wants to “put this unfortunate chapter of his life behind him and start anew.”
“It has been a struggle for him since that fateful day, but also knows his struggles pale in comparison to those of Mr. Bysiewicz,” Cretella said. “He was hoping for a lesser sentence, but knows he has his family and friends will help him through this time. He wishes nothing but the best for Mr. Bysiewicz and his family.”
Bysiewicz’s wife, Jennifer Glass, said her husband’s life was “upended in the worst way possible.”
Glass said Bysiewicz lost the ability to do activities he loved, and the crash has affected his career. Bysiewicz told the court Thursday that he has had several clients question whether he could service their needs because of his injuries.
After the sentencing, Bysiewicz said it felt good to have the case behind him, though he would’ve liked to see Stom get a lengthier sentence.
“What he did to me will never go away,” he said.