Bruce Knapik, the 65-year-old man accused of striking and killing a Shelton police officer with his car last July, pleaded no contest Wednesday to second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle.
The driving under the influence charge against him was dropped.
Under a plea agreement, Knapik will serve no less than two years in prison — but no more than four years in prison.
Knapik will serve three years probation once he is released from prison.
The agreement was announced in Superior Court in Derby shortly after 10 a.m.
His actual sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. The court will conduct a pre-sentence investigation and contact Smith’s family to notify them of the sentencing, Judge Burton Kaplan said Wednesday.
Defendants plea no contest when they don’t admit all the facts of the case, but understand the prosecutors have enough information to convict them at trial.
The result is a finding of guilty, according to Judge Kaplan.
Background
Sgt. Orville Smith was working a private duty job on Leavenworth Road on July 3, 2010, when a pick-up truck driven by Bruce Knapik, swerved and slammed into Smith and his police cruiser.
Knapik was found about 75 yards away from the crash site, pulled over on the side of the road, state’s attorney Marjorie Sozanski said during the hearing Wednesday.
Knapik told police he had a couple glasses of wine at a party before the accident. Knapik told police he saw the flashing lights on Smith’s police cruiser, but didn’t see any person standing outside of it, Sozanski said.
A witness told police he saw Knapik’s truck hit Smith, and crush him against the cruiser.
Smith had two fractures in his pelvis. He also had cuts on his leg and elbow, as well as “extensive bruising,” Sozanski said.
Yet, initially it didn’t appear that Smith’s injuries were life-threatening.
“He was clearly banged up,” Capt. Michael Madden told the Valley Indy in July 2010. But Smith was up and joking with friends who came to visit him in the Intensive Care Unit at Bridgeport Hospital in the days after the crash.
But three days later, on July 7, he died of complications from his internal injuries — shocking the community.
Smith was a member of Shelton Police Department for 39 years and also was a volunteer member of White Hill Fire Co. No. 5, and served in Vietnam in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Thousands attended his wake and funeral, held at Shelton High School in order to accommodate the crowd.
The Court Case
Knapik was charged after the incident with driving under the influence.
In September 2010, prosecutors added a charge of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle.
Throughout the process, Knapik’s attorney Edward Gavin has said the situation is very difficult for Knapik as well as for Smith’s friends and family.
Knapik has never been in trouble with the law before, Gavin said.
Wednesday, Gavin said Knapik was taking responsibility for his actions by entering the plea.
“I think that Mr. Knapik accepted responsibility for the consequences of his action,” Gavin said outside of court. “I think this is a very difficult case that involves the death of a distinguished officer. Mr. Knapik has no prior criminal history. He’s a good man. Sgt. Smith was a good man. It’s a tragic situation.”
Under Knapik’s plea, he will have to submit to DNA testing, and surrender his drivers license.
