The victim and her son were driving when another vehicle crashed into them. She sustained serious physical injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, and her son died at the crash scene. Little did they know that the other vehicle occupants recently robbed a Walmart and stole the car they were driving from another victim by gunpoint.

She endured the pain of her physical injuries and experienced the profound and complicated grief of losing her son. Her husband shared their combined experience as a family, and due to her brain injury, he struggled with thinking his wife was going to pass away. Whatever the defendants stole from Walmart that night seemed inconsequential compared to the fact that both the victim and his son were 'taken away' that night. Sometimes she doesn't recognize the home they've lived in for over 40 years or her husband and asks him to take her home, saying she misses her "husband" and asks for her son and other family members that are long gone. Their daughter has had to move home to help care for her mother full-time.

It was important for the victim to have the opportunity to address the court at sentencing, which she did. With the help of her loving daughter, she introduced herself and made a statement to the judge. The second victim was also very traumatized by the crime and suffered from PTSD. Before Sentencing, the family wanted the maximum sentence for those involved but accepted the judge's decision – the decision to sentence the individuals to 16 years and 23 years, respectively.

The grace, kindness, and resilience of the victims were remarkable. They embodied these characteristics throughout the multiple hearing continuances, the emotional plea negotiation process, and the restrictions placed upon their ability to attend court in person due to COVID.

The victim was driving her vehicle when another driver suddenly hit her.

Her vehicle was pushed into a concrete barrier causing it to roll over. She was hit by a drunk driver who had fled the scene of a hit and run crash. She sustained severe injuries, including several bone fractures and a possible brain bleed.

At 69 years old, the victim described herself as an energetic, healthy, and active woman who used to pick up her grandkids from school. After the accident, her 'life' was taken away from her as she knew it. Because of the crash, she rarely leaves her home and cannot drive due to the loss of vision. She suffered severe injuries to her head and eye and became dependent on others. She wanted to address the court at sentencing and put together a very thoughtful and impactful Victim Impact Statement. She worked with her Advocate and asked her to read it aloud on her behalf at sentencing. The prosecutor successfully obtained a 7-year prison term for this case which stunned the accused, who did not think he would get more than five years. The victim displayed remarkable courage and resilience.