Douglas Guinan of Pittsfield sentenced to up to 7 years for deadly OUI crash

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A Pittsfield man has been sentenced to up to seven years in prison for causing a car crash that claimed the life of another man and seriously injured a woman.

A Berkshire Superior Court jury on Monday found 54-year-old Douglas Guinan guilty of charges including vehicular homicide while under the influence.

Police say in October 2010 Guinan crossed the center line and struck an oncoming vehicle.

Michael Ashline, a 25-year-old passenger in the other car, died.

Prosecutors say Guinan's blood-alcohol content was below the legal limit, but he also had a prescription painkiller in his system.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that Guinan's attorney questioned whether the mixture of substances was enough to conclude that his client was impaired and said there may have been a mechanical problem with his car.