Steven Jalbert, 30, of Barre, Vermont has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after a woman died in a vehicle he inspected. Jalbert was working at a family business, a small Sunoco garage and gas station when he inspected a 1992 Chevrolet Corsica sedan, owned by Donald and Elizabeth Ibey. The vehicle passed the inspection test given by Jalbert on May 9, 2014, despite a later report showing issues. The vehicle had extensive rust, especially on the lower rocker frame panels. That rusted area apparently caused the vehicle to be more susceptible to a dangerous impact accident.
When the vehicle was tested by state inspectors post crash, the brakes did not work. The fatal accident occurred 383 miles and less than two months after the inspection. Donald Ibey said he was driving the car down a steep hill when he heard a “pop,” then the vehicle began to careen down the hill out of control, eventually crashing. The manslaughter charge against Jalbert alleges that he “acted with criminal negligence in conducting a motor vehicle safety inspection, causing the death of Elizabeth Ibey,” and “placed Donald and Elizabeth Ibey in danger of death or serious bodily injury in recklessly conducting a motor vehicle safety inspection.”
Tim Charland, the local DMV lieutenant, said the mechanic who is charged with the crime didn’t seem sorry. Charland said in a statement, “Steven Jalbert displayed no signs of remorse or concern over his involvement in the matters leading to the death of Mrs. Ibey. In fact, he showed more concern about their inability to conduct vehicle inspections in the future.” Jalbert could be facing 16 plus years behind bars.
If a mechanic conducting an inspection fails to catch or decides to pass a vehicle that is in bad condition, should he or she be partly responsible for mechanical failures including vehicular deaths down the road? Finally, of the approved sites for vehicle inspections in Vermont, many are dealerships. What if this same inspection had occurred at a dealership? How intensive is the inspection program at your store for even the smallest of repairs or state inspections?
