Maxim Staviski is Charged

[michiruwater]

He ended up with a 2.5 year suspended sentence (meaning if he does anything else, then he has to go to jail, but if he doesn't, then he won't go to jail at all), he lost his driver's license for 4 years and he has to pay compensation to the victims' families ($214,400).

Article here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080130/sp_nm/figure_skating_staviski_dc_1).

It sounds kind of lenient to me - I mean, he killed someone. But what can you do?

[Sashastar917]

That is FAR too lenient. What is this world coming to?! If he wasn't a world-class athlete I guarantee that it would've been a much harsher sentence.

[polosatik]

Eh, because of this accident, 21 years old guy was dead and 18 years old girl now in coma :( I agree, it's very lenient because he's famous and because he pleaded guilty .

[girlzrock_17]

That is too lenient, in my opinion he should go to jail. I kind of agree with the woman at the end:
"He (Staviski) should go to prison. It could be for only a day, but he should go to jail."
I don't think he should go to prison for year and years, but I do think that him getting off with basically only probation and a fine is much too lenient. I can only hope he's the kind of person who will have learned his lesson because of what happened to the people he affected, without having to go to prison.

It's just so sad, when someone who has so much going for them throws it all away, and inadvertently even takes another person's life, and puts another person in a coma :cry:

[lolgirl2345]

I agree, athlete or not, he killed someone, he deserves the same punishment as anyone in this case.

Is he going to skate at all now?

[sk8ter_girl159]

Is he going to skate at all now?

I don't know, but we probably won't see them at competitions anytime soon... is he even allowed to compete now?

[polosatik]

I don't know, but we probably won't see them at competitions anytime soon... is he even allowed to compete now?

I think not, I remember Albena said that they won't be able to compete, because she don't want to...

[Olympic Dreamer]

Well my really good friend Ashley's mom died because of a drunk driver she was killed instantly but the guy went to jail for 2 nights and then they paid bail and he never had a trial date set and it's been 2 1/2 years.

I agree I think it's FAR to lenient.

[michiruwater]

Is he going to skate at all now?

Sadly enough, they actually skated a couple of shows while the trial was being set and whatnot.

[lolgirl2345]

Sadly enough, they actually skated a couple of shows while the trial was being set and whatnot.

what? I mean, I guess Albena can and he is her partner, but still they should have put him in like probation from skating or something

[michiruwater]

Well, no, they can't really do that. It is technically his job, after all.

[lolgirl2345]

Well, no, they can't really do that. It is technically his job, after all.

well, I guess that's true, but if I was him, I wouldn't want to show my face ;)

[Kandidy]

This is reality. No judgement and equal in real world. I am still feel sad to the victim's family, but you have to accept the way things are .

[attyfan]

I have read on other boards that this sentence is comparatively heavy (and the amount owed to the victims comparatively large) by Bulgarian standards. Apparently, Bulgaria is not as harsh on drunk drivers that the US is (now); fifty years ago, before the US started cracking down on drunk drivers, a non-famous American who committed the same crime would also likely get a suspended sentence.

[rosepetal]

I'm surprised he didn't go to jail, even for a short while. It's like the whole Paris Hilton issue all over again - she was going to get no time in prison at first, purely because she was famous. Same with Nicole Richie. The suspended sentence and compensation sounds fair, though. At least he's truly sorry for his actions and isn't trying to escape from his responsibilities which is better than some cases of drunk driving.