Wrong-way driver that killed 19-year-old in Saugus apologizes to family at sentencing: "I'm not a monster"

The wrong-way driver who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2021 death of a 19-year-old nursing student in Saugus, Massachusetts was sentenced by a judge on Tuesday.

William Leger, 40, from Somerville, was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years and maximum of 28 years behind bars with credit for the five years he was already locked up during court proceedings. 

Leger was convicted of striking and killing 19-year-old Ashley Forward when he drove the wrong-way on Route 107 in Saugus on June 9, 2021. Leger was fleeing from police in a stolen car after robbing a convenience store.

During his sentencing, Forward's mother and sister read victim impact statements describing the magnitude of their loss. Forward was a nursing student at Emmanuel College and the first in her family to attend college.

"I will never hear Ashley's voice again, never see her smile again, or have her roll her blue eyes at me again," said Forward's mother, Michelle Luongo. "There is no pain greater than losing a child."

William Leger also made a statement to the court, proclaiming that he was a hostage to drug addiction at the time of the incident. "I'm not a monster, OK, for the record," Leger said. He also stated that he is remorseful and seeks forgiveness from the Forward family.

"From the bottom of my heart and God is my witness, I am beyond sorry," Leger said.

Luongo said she is not prepared to forgive, right now, but she will move ahead in Ashley's memory.

"To help others, to heal others, and just continue to keep giving and that's call we can do," Luongo said.