Jury selection in triple motorcycle homicide case set for January

Jury selection in the Anthony Summers case is set for Jan. 11, when the Goffstown man accused of negligent homicide in killing three motorcyclists last September will stand trial.

At a hearing Friday, his lawyer said an expert they hired was inadequate, and the team needed more time to make their case, or consider any plea offer.

Summers, 33, appeared before Judge Elizabeth Leonard in Belknap Superior Court, on Friday morning, for a dispositional conference which had already been continued twice since it was first scheduled in February.

Summers is facing seven felony charges, including three counts of negligent homicide, three counts of negligent homicide enhanced by drunk driving, and tampering with evidence. He first appeared in Laconia District Court in September, and was indicted by a Grand Jury on Dec. 19, elevating the case to Superior Court.

Scott Blomerth, 67, was riding a motorcycle with his wife Robyn Blomerth, 59, as a passenger, on Lake Shore Road, in Gilford, on Sept. 20, 2025, followed by Timothy “TJ” Sullivan, on his own motorcycle. Summers allegedly crossed over the center line into oncoming traffic, crashing into the two motorcycles. The Blomerths died at the scene of the crash. Sullivan was hospitalized, and died from his injuries on Oct. 5, 2025.

The accident took place near Country Way, on the heavily traveled road also known as Route 11. Eyewitnesses told police a 2025 Ford Bronco driven by Summers crossed well over the line. Summers said at the scene he had turned his focus from the road to his wife in the passenger seat before the crash.

Summers refused to give blood at the accident scene, but after a warrant was executed about six hours later, he registered a 0.027 blood alcohol content. He also tested positive for amphetamines and THC, according to court testimony, on Jan. 6, by County Attorney Keith Cormier.

Defense Attorney Alex Yiokarinis, of Russman Law Offices, noted while his eyes were bloodshot, Summers was not impaired, and was under the legal BAC limit. Part of the defense is one of the motorcycle operators was over the legal BAC limit.

On Friday, Yiokarinis told the court the defense had retained an expert, and began working with them. After the last hearing, the prosecution produced a second accident reconstruction report that he called “more robust.” This was given to the expert, but he said no advancement was made, and now the defense team wants to find someone else.

“Frustrating as it is, judge, we make this determination for the reason that we are just not getting the response that we need from the expert that we hired,” Yiokarinis said.

Yiokarinis said the search process for the new expert began weeks ago, and a decision on who to choose was made Thursday, the day before the conference.

“That has to happen,” he said. “That will happen. I think the state has provided us with everything that we need for this initial review, and maybe some followup discovery. We’ll talk to the state about that. But, we are literally at a reset with respect to an expert.”

Yiokarinis said the defense has done their due diligence to hire someone, but the expert has not met expectations “at all.”

Yiokarinis said nothing has moved along in terms of plea negotiations. He said even if the state were to make an offer, the defense wouldn’t be able to entertain meaningful plea negotiations.

He requested the court set a status hearing at a later date.

“We can’t drag our feet on this case,” Leonard said. “These are very serious charges.”

Leonard suggested a trial date be set as a placeholder.

“From where I sit, unless someone can tell me otherwise, set a trial date and also set a status conference, that way we can see where things are at,” Leonard said, then asked for the state’s position.

Cormier agreed, and said it made the most sense to set a trial date. He recommended expediting it, to get everything up-to-date.

“It might be helpful expediting, getting everything else we need bumped up before this case is dragged out too much longer,” Cormier said.

Yiokarinis said he understood, and Leonard told him at this point, it is either a plea or a trial.

“I am not hearing that the parties are even talking about a resolution, so a trial date makes sense,” Leonard said.

Leonard looked at early fall, but Cormier said he didn’t think it was realistic, especially if the report from the new expert wouldn’t be completed for an estimated two months. He did not leave out the possibility of a plea deal.

“I am hoping at some point, we do have discussions about a possible resolution for the case, once both sides have reviewed everything,” Cormier said.

Cormier said with the turnaround time, and the trial schedule, even a November trial date would be ambitious. Leonard asked if January worked, and Yiokarinis said, “I think January is reasonable.”

“If all goes as the way I hope it to,” Yiokarinis said, “we have selected an expert that we know can accommodate our immediate need.”

Jury selection was scheduled for Jan. 11, and a final pretrial date was set for Dec. 17.

During jury selection, the initial stage of a trial, 12 jurors and their alternates will be chosen after completing a questionnaire, and interviews are conducted by the defense and prosecution, according to the New Hampshire Judicial Branch website.

Summers, dressed in a suit and tie, sat next to Yiokarinis, looking straight forward, on Friday. Once the date was set, Summers immediately left the courtroom. Before the hearing began, Summers was sitting with a group of supporters.

Summers has been at home awaiting trial since January, after Leonard granted a request for house arrest. 

Summers has been ordered to remain home at all times except for when he is at work, attending court hearings, medical appointment, or meeting with his attorney. Leonard later approved a request to attend religious services. He is also prohibited from driving, and cannot have any weapons, or use alcohol or narcotic drugs. 

Family and friends of the victims were in the courtroom Friday, including Janice Blomerth-Craigen, Scott's sister. She traveled from Malden, Massachusetts, with her husband, Bob, and sat in the front row. Several friends sat also in the front row.

Blomerth-Craigen left the courtroom in tears on Friday, after finding out the proceedings will continue through the winter.

“It’s too long,” she said. “It’s basically what I have to say. We’ve already done eight months. It’s just too long.

“We want justice for all three. It was my brother and my sister-in-law. I had never met TJ, but he was the third party. I just want them to have some sort of justice. He obviously did it. They need to have another expert come in, and, for what?”

A status hearing was set for at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, in Belknap Superior Court.