Marblehead teen Oscar Galante faced a judge in Lynn Juvenile Court on Friday, Jan. 16, answering to charges of motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation in the Aug. 19 death of 13-year-old Savanah Gatchell, also of Marblehead.
Galante pleaded “not a youthful offender,” which is similar to a plea of “not guilty” in adult court. He walked into the courtroom in a blue suit and dress shoes, his family with him.
Investigators say Oscar Galante was driving with Gatchell as his passenger when he crashed his car into a stone wall near 352 Atlantic Ave. just before 3 a.m. on Aug. 19.
The judge accepted the plea and ordered Galante held on $20,000 bail and on conditions that he wear a GPS monitor and be held in house arrest with 24/7 lockdown and to have no contact with the victim’s family or witnesses in the case.
According to the youthful offender indictment, obtained by the Current, Galante operated his vehicle recklessly and “did cause the death of Savanah Gatchell.”
Galante’s attorney, Joseph Dever, declined to comment.
In August, the district attorney initially charged a then-16-year-old boy in the deadly crash. Because he was charged as a juvenile, his identity was not released, in accordance with state law. The charges then included motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, operating under the influence of liquor and two civil motor vehicle infractions.
Gatchell’s mother and sister were in the courtroom on Friday, wearing pink shirts bearing Savanah’s name and the words, “Forever 13.”
“We just want justice for Savanah,” said her mother, Christine.
The parties will be back in court March 13.
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.
