12-month sentence for rollover death

NEWPORT – A man who was 20 at the time and who had meth in his system, was driving a car that rolled and wrecked, killing his 17-year-old girlfriend in 2022. Judge Robin McCroskey sentenced him to 12 months in the county jail for his role in the girl’s death Thursday, Oct. 9 in Pend Oreille County Superior Court.

Garrett Neil Willis, now 23, had pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide disregard for the safety of others on July 24.

Prosecutor Dolly Hunt had recommended a sentence at the top end of the sentencing range, 20 months in prison. Defense attorney Derek Reid argued for a 12-month sentence, a downward departure from the standard sentencing range of 15-20 months.

Hunt said the family was still reeling from the loss of their daughter.

Victim/witness coordinator Lisa Stigall read a statement from the family, written by the victim’s adopted mother. The mother wrote receiving the news of her daughter’s death was devastating.

“Our world came crashing down that night,” Stigall read. “That was three years ago, and I still haven’t regained my control.”

In the statement, the mother said she was left with an “overwhelming emptiness and the fear of losing another child,” Stigall read.

The victim’s brother submitted a drawing of her and him on an ATV as his impact statement, coloring the flowers in the picture purple, the victim’s favorite color.

Hunt said that in cases like this there never was a sentence that makes sense to the victims and survivors. She asked for the 20-month sentence.

Reid said that case law showed that youth was a mitigating factor in this case. Recklessness, immaturity, the inability to access risk and impetuosity needed to be considered in the sentence, he said.

Reid said the Willis had completed inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment. He had the support of friends and family members.

He said Willis wanted to accept responsibility. He didn’t want to put the family through a trial, and all that entailed, Reid said. He has been working and has reengaged with his family. Willis, who lost a finger in the wreck, is disfigured. He has to deal with a lifetime of “survivor’s guilt,” Reid said.

Willis gave a short statement. “Sorry doesn’t cut it but it’s the only thing I can say,” Willis said. “That’s all.”

McCroskey said that case law was clear, age has a lot to do with actions.

She acknowledged that Willis has undergone treatment for substance abuse. She said the 17-year-old victim who was killed will never have the opportunity Willis had to go to treatment. She said he needed to be punished and that she understood the pain that the survivors are going through.

“So, I am going to impose a sentence below the standard range,” McCroskey said. “I am going to give Mr. Stigall the 12 months in the county jail.”

McCroskey said that additional eight months in prison Hunt wanted her to impose wouldn’t make a difference.

“I don’t think an additional eight months and being in the prison system is going to change what happened,” McCroskey said.