Woman Who Struck and Killed in New Hampshire

A 27-year-old Maine woman accused of killing Torrington Realtor Thomas “TJ” Zappulla in a June 2012 motorcycle crash pleaded guilty to negligent homicidea Class A felonyin a court in Lancaster, N.H., on Wednesday. She was sentenced to between two and five years in prison.Ashley Bailey, an unemployed single mother, was indicted in January on two counts of negligent homicide and on Wednesday was remanded to the custody to New Hampshire State Prison, Coos County Attorney John McCormick said.Mr. McCormick said Ms. Bailey will have the opportunity to have six months of her sentence suspended if she completes available counseling and educational programs offered by the New Hampshire Department of Corrections.Mr. Zappulla was returning from the Laconia Motorcycle Week in Laconia , N.H., on his 88-cubic-inch Harley Davidson Electra Glide Classic when Ms. Bailey allegedly veered over the double yellow line and struck him with her 2004 Hyundai Elantra, on Route 16 in Dummer, N.H.Prosecutors say Ms. Bailey’s blood alcohol content was 0.09 percent “some time” after the accident. Mr. Zappulla was 60 at the time of his death on June 15, 2012.Torrington Probate Judge Michael Magistrali, Mr. Zappulla’s brother-in-law and riding companion, had been keeping friends and family members up to date on the case since the accident, emailing everyone from fellow Realtors and community leaders to members of the biker community.“I think that it’s going to sound very cliché, all this kind of stuff is very cliché, anything that happens with her isn’t going to bring TJ back, and I think the family was more interested in having her accept responsibility for her poor decisions than just being punitive,” said Mr. Magistrali in a previous interview with the Register Citizen.Under the terms of sentence, Ms. Bailey will be required to complete 100 hours of community service under the direction of a parole officer after her release from prison. The community service will involve caring for the elderly, Mr. McCormick said, which is something members of Mr. Zappulla’s family had previously sought for Ms. Bailey’s sentence. Mr. Zappulla was known for taking care of his elderly mother each day, and his family hoped that having Ms. Bailey perform such service would show her the value of providing assistance and care to the elderly.Mr. McCormick said Ms. Bailey must also complete a speaking engagement at a high school stressing the dangers and serious potential consequences of driving while intoxicated.