Teen sentenced in drunken driving death

ENFIELD, Conn. (AP) — A 19-year-old Simsbury man has been sentenced to eight months in prison for a drunken driving accident that killed a friend last year.

The Hartford Courant reports that Austin Buckmann tearfully apologized when he was sentenced Thursday in Enfield Superior Court for the death of 17-year-old Tommy Tanksi, a Simsbury High School senior. Buckmann had pleaded no contest to second-degree manslaughter.

Judge Howard Scheinblum said he admired how Buckmann reached out to Tanski's family. His family and Tanski's sat together in court.

The judge sentenced Buckmann to 3½ years in prison, suspended after 8 months, and four years' probation with drug and alcohol screenings and community service.

Buckmann was driving drunk with three other teens in his car when he hit a utility pole in Simsbury. Tankski was killed. No one else was hurt.