NORTH BRANFORD — A Florida man was sentenced to 18 years in prison Tuesday for a fatal hit-and-run crash that killed a North Branford resident in March 2024.
James Black, 42, of Florida, was sentenced in New Haven Superior Court on charges of manslaughter, evading responsibility resulting in death, and tampering with evidence.
The fatal pedestrian crash occurred March 28, 2024, on Foxon Road near the East Haven town line.
Black was convicted in the death of David Horbal, a North Branford resident.
North Branford Police Chief James Lovelace said while no sentence can ease the pain suffered by Horbal’s family and friends, the conviction provides a measure of justice.
Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the East Haven, Branford, Madison, Guilford and New Haven police departments, along with the South Central Regional Traffic Unit and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office in Florida helped locate Black and secure crucial evidence for the conviction.
Lovelace praised Officer Louis Pane, the lead investigator in the case, and other North Branford officers for their work on the investigation.
