Attorney: Health Condition, Not Impairment,โข Caused Fatal Crash
DOVER, NH – The attorney for Paul clement argued in โStraffordโ County Superior Court on โmonday that aโข pre-existing health condition, notโฃ intoxication, caused the November 2025 crashโข that killed Air National Guard Chiefโ Masterโข Sgt.โ John Souza. Clement is on trial for negligent homicide and driving under the influence.
The defense did notโข dispute clement’s blood alcohol contentโฃ (BAC) of .123, recorded four hoursโ after the incident โ- exceeding the legal limit of .08 – butโ asserted that hyponatremia, a conditionโข characterized by low โsodium levels, considerably impacted his balance and contributed to the accident. souza, 48, died after being struck by Clement’s vehicle while walking onโ the side of the โขroad, just three minutes from his home.
Attorneyโ Andrew cotrupi toldโ the court Clement, a man of routine, had for years ignored health warnings and maintained aโค poorโ diet consisting โฃof excessive โcaffeine and โคinsufficient water. Heโข stated a medicalโ exam โconducted three days afterโค the crash confirmed โthe hyponatremia diagnosis, requiring a month of treatment for clement to recover.
“Byโค all accounts Paul is a good man,” โคCotrupi said. “Paul lives with โthe โknowledge this accident killed a man.”
Cotrupi further โsuggestedโ investigators focused solely on Clement’s alcohol consumption,overlooking โฃother potential causes for his โbehavior. โฃWitnesses from Club Victoire,โฃ where clement had been drinking, are โขexpected to testify that โhe did not appear impaired. The club โwas previouslyโ fined by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s Enforcement Division for serving clement in connection with the fatal incident.
Clement, who โhas no priorโ arrest or citation record, had been living with his son, Paul Jr.,who โhad movedโข in โto provide care dueโ to his father’s declining health and balance issues.
