Nashua man fights release of medical records state wants to prove DWI charge
 

By BEA LEWIS
blewis@citizen.com

LACONIA — One of two snowmobiliers charged with driving while intoxicated (or DWI) after being rescued from Lake Winnipesaukee in February is challenging the release of his medical records that the state is relying on to prove his guilt.

Jason Quinn, 32, of Nashua, is slated to appear in the 4th Circuit Court, Laconia District Division at 1 p.m. today.

Court Clerk Michelle Brown confirmed Quinn is attempting to block the release of hospital records obtained via a search warrant. The criminal complaint describing the charge against Quinn has not yet been filed with the court.

Meanwhile, Quinn’s companion, Derek P. Couture, 33, 141 Hoyt St., Manchester has been charged with driving under the influence of drugs or liquor. The complaint filed with the court alleges that Couture was impaired when he was driving a Yamaha 550 snowmobile on the ice of Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton on Feb. 11 at about 7:45 p.m.

New Hampshire Fish and Game Lt. Jim Goss has previously said the two men are lucky to be alive after they ended up in open water in the lake.

The pair became separated while snowmobiling on the ice and ended up being rescued on opposite sides of the lake. When Quinn turned back to look for Couture his snowmobile broke through thin ice. Goss said Couture was able to bail off the sled as it sank.

Quinn found himself wet to the waist and stranded on the ice a good two miles from shore and unable to find Couture, Goss said.

Quinn called 911 and rescuers were able to track the GPS coordinates from his cell phone and determine that he was about one mile east of Welch Island and approximately one mile south of Sandy Island.

The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team (DHART) helicopter also assisted in the search. Their pilots fly with nightvision goggles allowing them to see in the dark and using their powerful spotlights to illuminate the ice, according to Gilford Fire Rescue Lt. Richard Andrews.

Couture ended up in Tuftonboro, where he apparently fell into open water created by an Aquatherm that was keeping ice from forming around a dock, as he attempted to make it to shore. Both men were subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment of suspected hypothermia.

Couture has pleaded not guilty and remains free on $1,000 personal recognizance bail, on the condition he not drink alcohol to excess or take any illicit drugs. The case is slated for trial Monday, April 9 at 8:30 a.m. Couture is being represented by attorney Adam Bernstein.

http://www.citizen.com/news/2012-03-...rds_state.html

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The whole enchilada.
 

That's the whole article.

I hate to say it, but if he is trying to suppress it he likely does not want the results known.

And hence our legal system is exposed as not flawless, but it is hopeful that it occasionally protects the innocent.

What ever happened to manning up and admitting one's stupid mistakes and accepting the consequences? I hope they find these idiots guilty and pile on the punishment.

Nice sentiment, but no way are they going to admit their responsible for a helicopter search and rescue, plus all the other resources that were expended in their rescue, and to top that off the penalties for DUI.

I know, but as someone who has to share the trails with these nitwits, I don't have much tolerance!

Let me try and put it in perspective for you. If someone saved your life under such circumstances wouldn't you be hard pressed to dispute the cost of the rescue as well as your own culpability? I know I would.

both
 

Both of these guys are idiots who deserve to be locked up for a long time.
On top of that both them and their parents should be fixed so they can’t breed more stupid people.

Those two young men should also be charged with "Attempted Skimming". Totally contemptuous of the law. Hang'em High. :D NB

One thing if
 

It was day time and you actually know where you were at. But it was all over the news about lakes not being safe and how thin the ice was on Winni. These two deserved not to be found until it was to late, but what about all those who had to go out AT NIGHT and risk their lives for a couple of drunks. Hopefully they are paying for this rescue for a long, long time. And have some lengthy jail time to think about their stupidity.

BR: I am truly confused and disappointed that you would wish these two such a severe sentence...Death..YUP... that's what you said. They put themselves at risk... and went for a swim as a result.

The responders are professionals..they were just doing their jobs. Every mission is a training mission. For you to suggest that the responders were at RISK is an INSULT to their professionalism. Just sayin..:look: NB

....and furthermore
 

All good points...and may I add, hikers that go out totally unprepared for the weather conditions that get caught in a storm with just a pair of shorts, a tee shirt, cell phone and a package of trailmix, who call for a rescue in the middle of the night, endangering who-knows how many rescue personell, should also be locked up with the key discarded. Might as well fix their parents too while you're at it.

Lets see....who else can we vilify....

off topic but
 

Did you here about the woman from I believe Salem Mass. who sliced her 2 kids throats then set the apartment on fire? Last week’s news. It kinda makes you wonder.
Oh last I heard both kids were recovering.

"you can't fix stupid"
 

Wow, if that's the criteria for "fixing", about half of the U.S.ofA. should be fixed for voting for the current commander-in-"grief". Sorry...that just slipped out.

I would too, but these guys are morons and are the type that would sue McDonalds because they spilled hot coffee on themselves. They will use whatever is available to them legally or otherwise to escape the consequences of their stupid actions.

The point I was trying to make is, that it is not a perfect legal system we live under. It protects the innocent but sometimes protects the guilty.:)

Professional yes.....
 

The responders are professionals and they are involved in years of training for what they do, but they are human. Everytime they go on a mission, they are at risk. I bet its even more frustrating to them when they go out on a risky mission because of ice conditions/weather conditions, and they find out they are going out after some drunken selfish adults. It doesn't matter how much training they have, everytime they go out its a risk. We've seen on the news, helicopters going down on rescue missions....anything can happen