Chadwicks Man Sentenced, DA McNamara Explains Light Punishment

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said Alex Chlus "will have to live with the guilt of what he did for the rest of his life," in an interview with Keeler on WIBX Thursday morning.

Chlus was sentenced on Wednesday to 5 years probation, 6-months of which will be house arrest, 100-days of community service and a court victims fee, after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an incident in November of last year. It's believed that the incident happened during an argument when he and his girlfriend, Martha Staring were coming home from a night at a Utica hockey game.

Was Chlus's sentence light? Not according to the law.

McNamara said according to Chlus's version of what happened, at some point Staring jumped out of the Ford F150 pickup truck they were riding in while it was moving at a speed of between 30 and 40 miles per hour in Chadwicks. He added that Chlus did not slow down the pickup truck and he didn't stop, but actually continued to drive to his nearby home. McNamara said at some point Chlus walked back to the scene and by that time, authorities were already treating Staring. She would ultimately die one-week later in a Utica hospital.

McNamara said Chlus admitted to leaving the scene and would eventually plead guilty to the violation. He said that Staring's blood alcohol level was above the legal limit, but it played no role, as she wasn't driving the vehicle. Chlus's blood alcohol level was not tested. He added the vehicle's computer, similar to an airplane's "black box," showed the vehicle did not slow down or stop in the area of where Staring jumped out of the vehicle.

McNamara said, in terms of the law, they couldn't prove anything more than leaving the scene, which resulted in the sentence which was levied against him.

Listen to the complete interview with DA McNamara from Thursday morning on WIBX.

Read McNamara explanation of Chlus case from back in May, 2023