Two plead guilty in connection to wreck last summer

Janie Slaven, Commonwealth Journal, Somerset, Ky.
·3 min read

May 5—A two-vehicle collision that occurred near Mill Springs Battlefield last August has resulted in convictions for both the driver at fault as well as her passenger.

Commonwealth's Attorney David Dalton announced last week that both Mary Nicole Gaines, 39, of Somerset; and Daniel Lowell Brosnan, 34, also of Somerset, entered guilty pleas in Pulaski Circuit Court on April 25.

The changes of plea were connected to a collision that occurred the morning of August 8, 2021, which was investigated by the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office. According to Dalton, the investigation determined that Gaines' vehicle struck a Dodge 1500 head on. The pickup had four occupants and had been hauling a trailer with a pontoon boat.

Subsequent testing of Gaines' blood revealed the presence of methamphetamine and, Dalton stated, she exhibited signs of impairment on the scene.

While awaiting the arrival of law enforcement, witnesses observed Gaines' passenger, Brosnan, throw a backpack off the road toward the Mills Springs Battlefield side of the road. Deputies recovered the backpack and found nearly 100 grams of methamphetamine, over 20 grams of cocaine, and less than a gram of heroin. The Kentucky State Police confirmed the nature of the suspected narcotics.

At last week's hearing in Pulaski Circuit Court, according to Dalton, Gaines pleaded guilty to DUI, 1st Offense as well as four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment. With the approval of the victims, the Commonwealth's Attorney recommended 15 years in prison for these offenses. Gaines waived her right to a separate sentencing hearing and was sentenced at that time to 15 years.

At that same hearing, Brosnan pleaded guilty to felony trafficking in Cocaine (over 4 grams); felony trafficking in Methamphetamine (over 2 grams); and felony possession of heroin. Dalton stated he would recommend 10 years in prison for the trafficking and possession charges. He further stated that trafficking charges were appropriate given the quantity of drugs found by the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office.

Brosnan's sentencing has been scheduled for May 26 in Pulaski Circuit Court.

Dalton thanked the victims for their cooperation and praised the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office for their thorough investigation into this matter. He stated that this incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of impaired driving on all roads and all times of the day.

"You would think that when you are hauling your boat before lunch on a bright sunny day, the last thing you would need to worry about is an impaired driver running head first into your truck," Dalton said. "We are all grateful that no one was injured. 15 years is an appropriate punishment given that four people could have easily been killed."

As for Brosnan, Dalton stated, "With this quantity of drugs, there is no doubt it was going to be given or sold to someone else. Law enforcement was very lucky that observant citizens saw Brosnan attempt to hide the evidence. They intercepted 100 grams of methamphetamine which will never make its' way into the public."

Dalton noted that Deputy Trent Massey was the lead investigative officer for this case and thanked him for his efforts in the indictment of this matter as well as his testimony at the bond hearing in this case which helped keep the defendants in jail while this matter was pending.

Both Gaines and Brosnan remained lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center at press time.