Update: Chapin Berk appeared in court yesterday and was sentenced to five years probation. His driver’s license will be suspended for the duration of his sentence, and he faces a $1000 fine for each count of vehicular homicide. He must also donate $1000 to a charity of each crash victim’s family’s choice and pay a $100 reasonable control fee.
Originally posted: July 14, 2015 at 3:19 p.m.
Two months after an automobile accident in Gates Mills that left two Hawken High School seniors dead and an entire community in mourning, charges have been filed against the driver of the vehicle.
18-year-old Chapin Berk, who was driving a Jeep with three of his classmates on County Line Road on May 14 when he lost control of the vehicle and hit two trees, has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of operation without being in reasonable control. The charges are misdemeanors.
Alex Doody and Josh Weil, both 18 and star athletes at the east side prep school, died as a result of the accident.
Berk is expected in the Lyndhurst Municipal Court on July 23.
This article appears in Jul 8-14, 2015.
if not alcohol or drugs involved than it was an accident nothing more
I agree, that poor kid lost his buddies… even if they were drunk it probably could have been anyone of them at the wheel … I hope he wasn’t texting … something really needs to be done about that …
I Pray for all the boys and their families. I am very sorry for your loss.
Misdemeanors, Fucking really…? I shot off some fireworks on the 4th of July and got a 1st degree misdemeanor, While this kid purposely drove like a wreck less and asshole and killed 2 people??? We’re in the same class…???? Motherfucking really????
There, but for the grace of god, go I
-every formerly reckless teen
Same spot where I used to jump my ’89 Cavalier Station wagon – probably lucky the thing was a slow car and close to the ground.
It’s not an accident if you were knowingly speeding.
Does anyone know if the driver had been drinking and/or under the influence of drugs? Really curious because this same scenario happened in Cleveland 4-5 years ago to my daughters friends. Four 20 year old male friends in a vehicle under the influence, crash and 2 die. The driver got total of 4 years in prison and loss of license forever once released. if these teens were intoxicated this punishment is some BS and is why people of color are screaming how justice system isn’t fair.
The students were hurrying back to class. The driver was doing what a lot of students do on that road: speeding over bumps. No doubt he and his friends did it dozens of times. This time proved fatal.