Salem man – William Leger, 40, was sentenced in Essex County Superior Court to 18 to 20 years for manslaughter, plus additional time for robbery, for a wrong-way crash in Saugus that killed 19-year-old nursing student Ashley Forward while he fled after robbing a 7-Eleven.
A Salem man was sentenced Tuesday to decades in prison for killing a nursing student in a wrong-way crash in Saugus while fleeing police after a 7-Eleven robbery.
William Leger, 40, pleaded guilty in Essex County Superior Court to charges of manslaughter, unarmed robbery, and receiving a stolen vehicle. Prosecutors said he was sentenced to 18 to 20 years in prison for manslaughter. followed by six to eight years in prison for the robbery and five years of probation upon his release. according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
The sentencing came five years to the day after Ashley Forward was killed in the crash. Forward, 19, was from Lynn.
On June 9, 2021, Leger robbed a 7-Eleven store on Lincoln Avenue in Saugus and fled from police, the DA’s office said. He stole a vehicle, and a brief police chase followed. Prosecutors said the chase was called off when Leger began driving south in the northbound lanes of Route 107.
After driving about half a mile, Leger collided head-on with a vehicle driven by Forward. Forward was killed in the crash, and Leger was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Leger initially faced additional charges, including vehicular homicide by reckless operation and driving with a suspended license. Three months after the crash, he was indicted for murder. Those charges were later dropped as a result of his guilty plea.
The case has also carried a civil fight in the background. In 2024. Forward’s mother. Michelle Luongo. filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Leger. the town of Saugus. and two of its police officers. The lawsuit alleged that Michael Richards and Sean Murphy led an “unreasonable and extremely dangerous pursuit.”.
The complaint said Richards and Murphy’s “dangerous high-speed chase” exceeded 80 miles per hour before Leger collided with Forward’s vehicle. It also stated that Leger was “well-known” to Saugus police and could have been apprehended without a high-speed chase.
Prosecutors said Forward was a graduate of KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate High School. At the time of her death, she had just finished her first year as a nursing student at Emmanuel College.
Outside of school, Forward volunteered with My Brother’s Table and the Boys & Girls Club of Lynn.
Before Tuesday’s sentencing, Luongo and Forward’s younger sister Jillian spoke about Forward’s impact. Luongo described her daughter as someone whose future had been abruptly cut short. saying. “Ashley was a remarkable young woman with a bright future ahead of her. Nursing was not just a career choice for her — it reflected who she was. She wanted to care for people, to comfort them, and to heal them. Her life mattered deeply — not just to her family. her friends. or the community where she gave so much of her time. but to the people she would have helped along the way.”.
Leger’s attorney, Jeffrey Sweeney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
Salem man Saugus crash Ashley Forward wrong-way crash nursing student William Leger Essex County Superior Court 7-Eleven robbery police chase wrongful death lawsuit Michelle Luongo
18 to 20 years sounds like a joke honestly. Dude took someone’s life while running from the cops.
So he robbed the 7-Eleven and then just… started driving wrong way? I mean if they called off the chase how does that even matter? Either way that’s awful.
Wait, I thought wrong-way crashes are always like “accidents” and not manslaughter. But they said he fled after the robbery so I guess it’s on him. Still, poor Ashley… nursing students are already stressed enough.
5 years probation after 18-20? That part confuses me. Like is he really gonna be back out while people are still grieving 5 years later. Also I saw something about a civil lawsuit too… so it’s like criminal case plus lawsuit plus more time? I can’t even keep it straight.