A 43-year-old man who served a 10-year manslaughter sentence for dragging a woman to her death with his car in downtown Norwich in 2002 has been charged with new crimes, including violation of probation, as a result of a drunken-driving crash in Durham, according to court documents.

Jason MacLean, of Lisbon, was sentenced in 2008 to 20 years in prison, suspended after 10 years served, and five years of probation. Norwich police said MacLean was using heroin when Eugenia "Gina" Fisher approached his car during a dispute between two groups of young people. She leaned into the driver's side window and MacLean pulled forward, dragging the 4-foot, 11-inch Fisher through the intersection of West Main and Washington streets before she fell and suffered a fatal head injury.

He was released from prison on June 12, 2015, having received credit for time served while the case was pending, and began serving his probation.  

The state alleges MacLean violated conditions of his probation in numerous ways, including using alcohol or drugs, which was prohibited, accruing several traffic violations, failing to complete community service and committing new crimes.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, on July 14, 2017, MacLean crashed into a guardrail in Durham, heavily damaging his car, and stumbled into the woods, where he was located by police. He was treated for minor injuries. State police said he smelled of alcohol and informed staff at Middlesex Hospital that he had consumed a six pack of beer before driving. He had empty nip bottles of vodka and whiskey in his backpack, and his blood alcohol level was .26 following the crash.

State police charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, improper use of a marker, evading responsibility, driving without minimum insurance, driving while his license is suspended and failure to drive right. Those charges are pending in Middlesex Superior Court. The violation of probation charge, lodged recently in the New London court where MacLean's manslaughter case was tried, may also be tried in Middlesex Superior Court, according to MacLean's New London attorney, Public Defender Kevin C. Barrs.

Barrs reported to the court Monday that MacLean, who is free on $27,000 in bonds, has been in treatment for substance abuse and has had good progress reports.

Because his 20-year manslaughter sentence was suspended after 10 years in prison, MacLean had an additional 10 years of incarceration "hanging over his head" should he be found guilty of violating the conditions of probation. 

k.florin@theday.com