NORTHAMPTON — The son of late Northampton-based folk musician Jeffrey Martell, who was killed in a two-car, head-on collision in January, has filed a wrongful death suit against the family of the other driver.
Benjamin E. Stulpin, 24, and Martell, 50, were both killed Jan. 8 when one of their vehicles — police have not said which — crossed the center line. Martell was a widely regarded Valley performer as well as the organizer of the Green River Festival in Greenfield.
Court records say that on Dec. 2, Stulpin led police on a chase that ended on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield, resulting in his arrest on more than a dozen charges including driving under the influence of drugs, assault with a vehicle and malicious damage to a motor vehicle.
Elijah Parker-Martell, 25, alleges in the civil suit, filed Nov. 4 in Hampshire Superior Court, that Stulpin’s grandfather, William M. Chmura, of Springfield, was negligent when he allowed his grandson to borrow his car the day of the accident, court records say. Chmura “knew or should have known of the incompetence or unfitness of his grandson … to drive the motor vehicle,” citing a slew of driving-related criminal charges that Stulpin acquired between 2013 and 2015, including the December incident, according to the complaint.
Parker-Martell, in the suit, is calling for compensation to account for his father’s personal injuries, pain and suffering and medical and funeral expenses. No monetary figure was listed in the complaint.
Cynthia A. Stulpin, also of Springfield, referred to as the “personal representative” of Benjamin Stulpin’s estate, is also listed as a defendant. Their relationship was not made clear in the court documents. None of the listed parties could be reached by phone Friday evening.
Both Cynthia Stulpin and William Chmura face one count each of negligence, gross negligence and malicious, willful, wanton or reckless conduct, according to the suit.
Michael Majchrowicz can be reached at mmajchrowicz@gazettenet.com.