LAWRENCE — A Central Catholic High School student whose friend and classmate died in a car crash Thanksgiving weekend has been ordered by a judge to speak at schools about the dangers of underage drinking.
Geffrey Bergeron, 17, of 49 Amherst St., was one of three Central Catholic students arraigned on alcohol-related charges after the death of Ryan Bourque, 17, of Lawrence, early in the morning of Nov. 25 last year.
In the hours before his death, police said they believe Bourque attended parties, one of them hosted by Bergeron, where there was underage drinking.
In addition, Modesto Brito, 43, of 433 Hampshire St., mother of one of the three students, faces charges under the state's Social Host Liability Law of allowing and being home during an underage drinking party .
In March, Bergeron was arraigned in Lawrence District Court alongside Brito; her son, Edrian Brito Mendez, 17; and Jamie Adames, 18.
Bergeron had alcohol procurement and possession charges continued without a finding for one year in Lawrence District Court Tuesday, according to Steve O'Connell, spokesman for District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.
Prosecutor Jennifer Kunsch had sought a guilty finding followed by two years of probation and other restrictions, O'Connell said yesterday.
District Court Judge Mark Sullivan, however, imposed one year of probation for Bergeron. He also ordered him to undergo alcohol evaluation and treatment, to remain in school or employed and to perform 100 hours of community service, O'Connell said.
The final condition was that Bergeron speak at schools about the issue of underage drinking, O'Connell said.
A timetable for those speeches was unclear yesterday.
Attempts to reach Bergeron's attorney, Michael Coyne of Andover, for comment yesterday were unsuccessaful.
Brito, his mother and Adames were all scheduled for pretrial hearings today in court.
A police investigation after Bourque's death determined Bergeron had hosted a party at his Amherst Street home while his parents were out to dinner. Five teens split a 12-pack of beer and later went out for ice cream and pizza.
Later that night, the teens went to Brito and Mendez's apartment, police said. Mendez charged $5 for students to enter the apartment and drink beer. Police said Brito was home, watching smaller children who were also in the apartment.
The teens interviewed by police said Brito was aware they were drinking and checked on them during the night at various times.
To date, it remains unclear if Bourque had alcohol in his system when he crashed. Regardless of his blood alcohol level, Lawrence Police Chief John Romero said charges were filed when police learned of the underage drinking parties.
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