Johnstown man gets 2 to 6 years in prison for fatal motorcycle crash

A Johnstown man was sentenced on Friday two to six years in prison for operating his motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs and killing his passenger in a crash. 

Richard T. Irelan, 45, had previously pleaded guilty in Saratoga County Court to vehicular manslaughter for the July 30 crash in Wilton. Irelan was driving his motorcycle erratically, when he rear-ended a pickup truck on the southbound ramp of the Northway at Exit 18, investigators said.  

Irelan’s passenger was thrown from the motorcycle. The woman was taken to Saratoga Hospital and died from her injuries.  

Irelan had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.09% at the time of the crash. The legal limit is 0.08%. He also had cannabis in his system.  

The victim’s family provided an impact statement. 

“On July 30, our lives changed forever. Three children were left without a mom. A family lost their daughter, sister, aunt, and niece. Richard was in control of another person’s life. He was being careless. This more than an accident,” the statement said.  

This case is a reminder about the dangers of operating a motorcycle under the influence, according to Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen.