October 28, 2025 – Springfield, MA – Staff from Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni’s Community Safety and Outreach Unit visited Springfield International Charter School on Wednesday, Oct. 15, to deliver the office’s Stop the Swerve presentation, which addresses the dangers and life-altering consequences of impaired and distracted driving.

The Stop the Swerve program, designed for students of driving age, opens with a 19-minute documentary that recounts two local tragedies caused by impaired driving. The film shares the story of Nathaniel Chisnall, an Enfield resident who pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence of liquor, as well as three counts of OUI causing serious injury. Chisnall, who had seven passengers in his Jeep Wrangler and a blood alcohol level of .15 — nearly twice the legal limit — was speeding at an estimated 73 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone when he swerved around a taxi on East Columbus Avenue in Springfield and lost control. The Jeep crossed multiple lanes and struck the median guardrail near the Exit 4 off-ramp. David E. Ray was ejected from the vehicle and died on scene, while the remaining six passengers were transported to Baystate Medical Center for treatment.

The documentary then focuses on Jay Franklin, the driver of a Ford Escort who pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and OUI causing serious bodily injury. Franklin was driving home from a night out in Chicopee with his girlfriend, Emily Savery, and two friends. While navigating in poor conditions, Franklin, who was intoxicated and distracted during an argument, lost control of the car, which struck a tree stump, overturned, and caught fire. Eighteen-year-old Savery was later pronounced dead at Noble Hospital.

Both Chisnall and Franklin served jail time and probation and were ordered to complete community service by sharing their experiences with young people, turning their tragedies into lessons for others.

“I may be free in body, but my mind is locked up forever. I will never forget this. It will always be on my mind, it will always be going through my mind. That will never change,” Chisnall closed.

Franklin said, “Not a day goes by where I wouldn’t trade places with Emily or redo everything that night. I’ll always wish I could take that back; I’ll always have to live with that. It’s not an easy thing to live with.”

Following viewing the film, an Assistant District Attorney who specializes in motor vehicle homicide cases leads a candid discussion with students about real cases from Hampden County, ranging from drunk and drugged driving to texting behind the wheel, and how one poor decision can permanently change multiple lives.

District Attorney Gulluni launched Stop the Swerve to help young drivers understand the real-world impact of impaired and distracted driving before they get behind the wheel. The presentation aims to empower students to make responsible choices, encourage their peers to do the same, and remind them that prevention begins with awareness.

In addition to the school-based presentations, the District Attorney’s Office annually hosts a countywide Stop the Swerve event at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Students from across Hampden County attend the large-scale program, which includes interactive driving simulations and safety activities that underscore how critical it is to stay alert and sober on the road.