Kenneth Belew, 22, pleaded guilty today in Middlesex Superior Court to two counts of motor vehicle homicide OUI and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.  The Commonwealth recommended a term of 8-10 years in state prison for the two counts of motor vehicle homicide with five years probation from and after with conditions.  Middlesex Superior Court Judge Mitchell Kaplan sentenced him to 5 years in a house of correction on the two counts of motor vehicle homicide with parole eligibility at half time.  He also sentenced the defendant to two additional years in a house of correction, with one year to serve, the balance suspended for 5 years, on the negligent operation charge, as well as probation conditions that include a 15 year loss of license, 25 hours of community service per each year of probation related to safe driving and impaired driving education, and a substance abuse evaluation and any recommended treatment.

“By pleading guilty today, the defendant has admitted his responsibility for the horribly tragic crash that took the lives of two young women and injured three others,” DA Leone said. “This defendant chose to drive with a blood alcohol level at least twice the legal limit and at an excessive rate of speed- a combination for disaster.  This was another purely preventable and tragic example of the deadly consequences of impaired driving.  Our thoughts remain with the victims’ families and friends.”

According to authorities, in the early morning of April 21, 2011, the defendant and five others left a house in Somerville at which they had been drinking and socializing.  After leaving the residence, the defendant drove toward a restaurant located off of McGrath highway in Somerville when he ran through a red light at a high rate of speed, reaching speeds up to 91 miles per hour before he lost control of his vehicle. The car then hit a curb, came off its driver’s side tires, hit a metal railing, and spun across multiple lanes of traffic before coming to a stop.

One of the passengers in the vehicle driven by the defendant was Mayara Alves, a 16-year-old from Everett, who was pronounced dead at the scene.  A second passenger, Isabella Dasilva, 16, of Somerville, was taken off life support in the hospital and died on April 23, 2011 as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.  The defendant and the three other passengers were transported to the hospital where they were treated and released.

Authorities determined that the defendant’s blood alcohol level was 0.17. The legal limit is 0.08.

The defendant was indicted on June 30, 2011 and arraigned July 6, 2011 where Middlesex Superior Court Clerk Magistrate Michael Sullivan ordered the defendant held on $5,000 cash bail.

The prosecutor assigned to the case was Nicole Allain.  The victim witness advocate was Danielle Demeo.