(WGTD)---A drunk who refused numerous offers of rides home, then drove off from the Kenosha bar where he’d spent most of New Year’s Day, crashing head-on into another vehicle, killing the driver, received a 13-year prison sentence Wednesday.
Friends and family of the defendant--39 year-old Christopher Thayer from Racine—and those of the victim—53 year-old Djuana Latshaw—filled the courtroom of Judge Jodi Meier to the point where the sentencing hearing had to be moved to a larger space.
The 13 years behind bars had been recommended by prosecutor Angelina Gabriele who said the defendant missed opportunity after opportunity to head off the disasterous outcome.
According to the criminal complaint, Thayer turned down numerous ride offers, then snuck out of the bar before a friend could arrive to pick him up. "Everyone in that bar recognized the severe degree of intoxication of Mr. Thayer and attempted in every conceivable way to convey that to him," said Gabriele. "But he disregarded all of them."
In her remarks, Judge Meier echoed the sentiment, saying she had a hard time getting past some of the aggravating factors in the case.
The crash also seriously injured the victim’s seven year-old grandson, who has since mostly recovered from his injuries.
Thayer owns a building company that employes nearly two-dozen. His attorney, Jonathan LaVoy, said his client has already settled a civil suit with the victim's family, and has undergone an alcohol assessment, which found that while Thayer at times drank too much, he wasn’t alcohol dependent. LaVoy argued for leniency. "He's really shown in my estimation true, genuine remorse really from day 1," LaVoy said. "It's not remorse about 'I got caught' or 'I'd better say the right things.'
Thayer’s wife also spoke, saying that spending hours in a bar drinking was not in her husband's charater. She described him as a kind-hearted family man and good husband. The couple has two small children.
At one point, Jessica Thayer seemed to be blaming herself for the crash, saying she had hung up on her husband after arguing, and that he might have driven off in anger and a desire to hurry home.
Christopher Thayer says he has no memory of events leading up to the crash.
Thayer's pick-up crashed into the victim's compact car with such force that the car got pushed into a tree. Gabriele said it was a miracle that the boy wasn't killed as well.
Gabriele and another prosecutor read statements from the victim's daughter and brother, describing how devastating Djuana's death has been for the family.
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