Acquitted Truck Driver from 2019 Fatal Motorcycle Crash Faces Extradition to Ukraine
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 27, is set for extradition to Ukraine after being acquitted of criminal charges related to a June 21, 2019, crash that killed seven motorcyclists in Randolph, N.H.
Authorities confirmed Zhukovskyy was acquitted of seven counts each of manslaughter and negligent homicide after a jury deliberated for less than three hours. The victims were members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club, which includes Marine Corps veterans and their spouses.
Zhukovskyy, who had reportedly taken heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine on the day of the crash, faced charges dismissed by a judge concerning impairment levels. His attorney stated he is a permanent resident who sought asylum upon arriving in the U.S. at age 10.
On February 3, an immigration judge ordered his removal, as stated by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Zhukovskyy is currently detained in Pennsylvania and has until March 8 to file an appeal.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Zhukovskyy following the 2019 crash and took him into custody after the trial concluded on August 9. Witnesses reported that motorcyclists from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island were involved in the incident.
Authorities noted that while prosecutors claimed Zhukovskyy swerved before the collision, defense attorneys contended that the lead rider, Albert “Woody” Mazza Jr., was impaired and lost control of his motorcycle.
Ukraine, Zhukovskyy’s homeland, continues to face turmoil following Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022.