Vince Della Volpe, a local coach and the son of Ansonia Mayor James Della Volpe, was accepted Friday into a special court alcohol education program that will see his record wiped clean if he successfully finishes.
Della Volpe, 29, was charged with DUI in December after he crashed his girlfriend’s Volvo into a parked car on Dec. 10.
Police said Della Volpe’s blood alcohol content measured .17 and .16 on two separate breathalyzer tests. That is about twice the legal limit of .08.
No one was injured in the crash, but the Volvo and the car he crashed it into both had to be towed from the scene.
Della Volpe appeared before Judge Burton Kaplan at Superior Court in Derby Friday to find out if he would be accepted into the program.
The alcohol education program is a common resolution for many first-time offenders.
Della Volpe will participate in 10 sessions of the program before his record is cleared.
During Della Volpe’s court appearance Friday (Feb. 3), Judge Kaplan said he had received a letter from the advocacy group Mothers Against Drunk Driving opposing Della Volpe’s application. It was not read into the record.
However, in an interview Friday, Jennifer Rossi, the lead victim’s services specialist for MADD, said her organization wrote the letter to support the Mestuzzi family, the owners of the vehicle Della Volpe crashed into.
Rossi said the family and MADD wanted to see Della Volpe be convicted as a first-time DUI offender. Furthermore, MADD and the Mestuzzi family wanted conditions placed on Della Volpe, such as the use of an ignition interlock device, which forces a driver to submit to a breathalyzer before starting the vehicle.
Rossi said the Mestuzzi family had to purchase a new vehicle because of the damage Della Volpe caused.
“Mr. Della Volpe showed irresponsible behavior when he chose to get behind the wheel of his car intoxicated,” Rossi said.
In granting the alcohol education program, Kaplan said Della Volpe’s case was similar to others who have been accepted into to the program. Specifically, no person was injured in the crash.
“Mr. Della Volpe, I pride myself on being consistent,” Kaplan said. “There’s nothing in this case that is extraordinary that would lead me to deny this application.”
Della Volpe’s attorney, Clifford Hoyle, said Della Volpe is a perfect candidate for the program, noting that he is employed full time and that no one was injured.
“He made a bad decision to drive,” Hoyle said in court.
Della Volpe did not say anything during the court hearing.
