A West Springfield man pleaded guilty Tuesday to causing a fatal drunk-driving crash last year that killed three highway workers. Bilal K. Griffith, 30, admitted to three counts of manslaughter and three counts of leaving the scene of a fatal accident in Hampden Superior Court. Under a plea agreement, Griffith will serve between 15 and 17 years in state prison. His formal sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 20.

The crash occurred on March 28, 2025, when Griffith lost control of his Jeep Cherokee and struck a work zone at high speed on an off-ramp along Interstate 91 northbound in West Springfield. The collision fatally injured all three workers repairing a guardrail in the area, according to prosecutors.

The victims were identified as Ryan Almeida, 48, a foreman and father of five; Raul Bohorquez, 57, originally from Venezuela; and 26-year-old Igor Costa. All three died at the scene. The work crew was employed by Premier Fence, a company based in Canton. Martha Mendes Borges, Premier Fence’s human relations manager, called the incident “a devastating and entirely preventable tragedy” and expressed hope that Griffith would be held fully accountable under the law.

Following the crash, Griffith fled from his overturned vehicle, prompting a five-hour search by law enforcement. He was found around 6 a.m. near a convenience store, reportedly smelling strongly of alcohol. A blood test at booking revealed a level of 0.103, above the legal limit of 0.08, according to police reports. Griffith later admitted to detectives that he had been intoxicated while driving.

Griffith was indicted on manslaughter charges in May 2025. Prior to Tuesday’s plea, his defense attorney sought a reduced sentence of five to six years, while prosecutors had initially pursued a sentence totaling 45 years, recommending consecutive terms for each charge.

In early September, a judge ruled that Griffith would face 15 to 17 years in prison if he entered a guilty plea, which he did Tuesday.

Relatives of the victims attended a hearing where some read statements about the impact of the tragedy, and Griffith’s sister also planned to testify in his defense. Meanwhile, fundraising efforts have supported the families of the deceased. Premier Fence established a fund raising more than $130,000, while a separate fundraiser organized by Ryan Almeida’s relatives has raised over $10,000.

On the fundraising webpage, Melissa Almeida described Ryan Almeida as “an amazing, kind-hearted, and hard-working man” who was devoted to his family and known affectionately by his grandchildren as “Grumpy.”