Family of DUI crash victim addresses defendant in court
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WJAR) — A South Kingstown family continued their search for justice, nearly three years after their loved one was killed by a drunken driver.
Family and friends of Alan Albergaria packed a Wakefield courtroom Monday for the emotional hearing and sentencing of Cara Kenyon.
Kenyon pleaded guilty to driving under the influence when she hit and killed Albergaria on Middlebridge Road in March 2020. Albergaria was walking outside of his home when the crash happened.
"I would be running down the street to see my husband in the middle of the road with paramedics giving him chest compressions. I screamed to him, thinking somehow he could hear me and come back to us,” said Alan’s wife, Nicole Albergaria.
Alan Albergaria was found bleeding in the road.
Nicole Albergaria says she and their 12-year-old son have nightmares driving down the street and eventually moved out of the neighborhood.
“Now, I’m a single parent and not only does Mason not have one living grandparent, but now he has no living father," Albergaria said.
Alan’s daughter, Cassandra Phillips, also took the stand, recounting the grief her family has experienced since the crash.
"Cara, please listen, OK? I've gone over and over what I want to say today, but there's no words that could capture the impact your choice to drink and drive had,” Phillips said. “Every family event, every holiday, every milestone is a reminder that he's not here to share those milestones. Even the happy moments are tinged with grief and the terrifying reminder that someone can take the life of someone you love unexpectedly and completely out of your control."
Phillips told NBC 10 News that she knew the defendant years ago through mutual friends and that her father ironically hired them a driver when they went out for a night of drinking.
"I remember the night he took care of us and hired a driver when we went out. And the night he booked a hotel on New Year's Eve to take care of us,” said Phillips. “We know Cara. This whole thing has felt like a terrible nightmare that we're never going to wake up from."
Kenyon was sentenced to 15 years, seven to serve in prison and the other eight on probation.
Phillips said no amount of justice will bring her father back.
"We're frustrated because Rhode Island has something called the Good Time Law, so that headlines might read '15 years and 7 to serve' but the reality is she'll likely only serve two-thirds of that," Phillips said.
Before being taken away in handcuffs, Kenyon addressed the family in court.
"There's not a single day that has passed that I have not thought of your family and how you were living. I want you to know I never took for granted the fact that I was home with my family while you were grieving and awaiting justice,” said Kenyon.
Albergaria was 54 years old when he was killed and was the co-founder and president of Automated Business Solutions in Warwick.