A Westport man will serve five to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to the October 16, 2015, crash that claimed the life of a Dartmouth grandmother who was driving into Westport to buy fish and chips for her family’s dinner.

Robert Hansen, 63, pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter by drunk driving. During the plea hearing before Judge Raffi Yessayan, Assistant District Attorney Stephen Nadeau argued that Mr. Hansen should be sentenced to serve seven to 10 years in state prison. The defendant’s attorney, however, requested a five year term and Judge Yessayan sentenced the defendant to serve five to eight years in state prison. The defendant also had his driver's license revoked for a minimum of 15 years.

On the evening of the crash, Mr. Hansen was operating his Ford SUV westbound on Route 6 near his 1 Maynard St., Westport, home at what police said was an extremely high rate of speed. His attorney said he was coming from UMass Dartmouth where he is studying for a master’s degree in business.

Ahead of him, driving in the same direction was Geraldine Correia, 73 in her Toyota Corolla.

“The Escape driven by Mr. Hansen was traveling so fast it rear-ended the victim's car and sent it through the break in the median flipping over and skidding for several feet until it came to rest on the opposite side of the highway,” said Westport Detective Jeff Majweski. “Hansen did not stop his vehicle (and or react to the crash immediately)  He came to a stop in the breakdown lane about 300 feet from the point of impact.”

Ms. Correia was taken to the hospital, but did not survive.  

“The defendant was belligerent with police officers and ambulance personnel who attempted to evaluate him for injuries, at one point spitting at one of the officers who was taking him into custody,” the district attorney’s office said. “Numerous tequila bottles (empty and partially full) and empty beer cans were found in his vehicle.  Police investigating the crime found that he bought the same brand/size of tequila and beer earlier that day at a nearby liquor store.”  

During the investigation a motorist drove by and said that the defendant had been driving recklessly prior to the collision, cutting in and out of traffic and nearly causing crashes.  

Police obtained a warrant for the Mr. Hansen’s blood, which was taken at 2:15 a.m., nearly eight hours after the crash.  The blood was analyzed and the result was .08.  A retrograde extrapolation calculation was done, resulting in an opinion that his BAC at the time of the crash was a minimum of .13 and a maximum of .30.  

The accident reconstruction determined that: the victim’s brake lights were on at the time of the crash; the defendant never applied his brakes; and the defendant was driving at 85 mph.

“This was a very tragic, but unnecessary, death caused by the defendant. His reckless and drunken operation of his vehicle killed a woman who was merely going to get fish and chips for dinner,” District Attorney Quinn said.

"The prison sentence is the only redemption the victim's family can receive for a reckless, careless act which cost an innocent woman her life,” Det. Majewski added.