A Thurston County judge sentenced a 28-year-old Shelton man to 12 years in prison Friday for killing a pregnant mother and her young son in a wrong-way I-5 collision.
Superior Court Judge Mary Sue Wilson delivered the sentence after Draedon James Jorgenson pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of vehicular assault, which all occurred while he was under the influence of alcohol.
The sentence resolved the case against Jorgenson, less than six months after the two-car collision that killed Samantha Denney, 31, and her two-year-old son Adonis on Nov. 10, 2023. Denney's 8-year-old daughter, Scarlett, also rode with her mother, but survived despite being ejected from the vehicle and pinned under a tire, according to court records.
Jorgenson reportedly collided his Jeep with Denney's vehicle head-on on southbound I-5 just north of U.S. Highway 101 near Olympia.
At the time of the collision, Jorgenson had a blood alcohol content of 0.23, which is nearly three times the legal limit, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Filak said.
Patrick O'Connor, Jorgenson's public defense attorney, said his client made an "unforgivable decision" last November that has affected many people to an "unspeakable degree."
Filak and O'Connor said Jorgenson wanted to take responsibility early on, but the case still took months to resolve due to the length of the investigation and court process.
"I'd like to say from the bottom of my heart that I wish that this had never happened," Jorgenson said before being sentenced. "Never in my life have I intended to take somebody else's life, ever."
How was the sentence decided?
Several family members of the victims stood up to tearfully describe the magnitude of their grief. They also spoke out against Jorgenson's plea agreement, which recommended a low-end sentence of 111 months.
Filak said he understood many people disagreed with that recommendation, but as a representative of the state he felt it struck the appropriate balance.
"I have the duty to help punish criminal behavior and protect the community, which requires a determination of a proper way to resolve a case that best serves the community as a whole."
Wilson said it's uncommon for such a case to be resolved in such a relatively short time period. She called the plea agreement a good thing, but still broke with the recommended sentence.
"I often am persuaded that the agreed recommendation by the parties is the right sentence," Wilson said. "In this case, I'm not persuaded that it is."
Wilson sentenced Jorgenson to 144 months in prison on counts one and two, 20 months in prison for count three and 18 months of community custody, attached to each count.
She also dismissed a fourth count, driving under the influence, at the parties' request. If Jorgenson was found guilty of that count, Filak said it would merge with the other counts at sentencing and have no practical effect.
Given the severity of the crimes and that sentences are required by law to run concurrently, Wilson said she opted for sentences towards the high-end for each count.
The standard range for counts one and two, with an offender score of 4, was 111 to 147 months in prison. For count three, the standard range was 15-20 months, according to court records.
Jorgenson's adult criminal history dates back to 2015 and includes three minor in possession/consumption charges as well as a DUI in Mason County, per court records.
Wilson also ordered Jorgenson to successfully complete a substance use disorder treatment program approved by the state Department of Social and Health Services.
"Mr. Jorgenson, you want to make amends, be remorseful," Wilson said. "The best way you can that is 100% apply yourself to all the conditions, especially the substance use disorder (treatment)." Rely on the support from your family and friends. Be honest about challenges in your life."
"And never forget what you did, so that you can use that to motivate yourself and motivate others to make choices that don't have the impact that your choice last November had."
Denney's family speaks
Emilly Keller, Denney's younger sister, was one of several people who spoke. She said she was awoken to an unknown phone call the morning after the collision. The person on the line asked her to describe her sister in detail.
"At this point something clicked in my brain," Keller said. "Quite quickly, I replied back, 'Are you asking me what I think you're asking me? Are you asking me to identify a dead body?'"
Shock, sadness, rage and hurt shot through her as she learned of her sister and nephew died. She later learned her niece was hospitalized in critical condition. She then had the difficult task of telling each of her family members.
"The pain my family felt from hearing the news flooded over us like a wave," Keller said. "We couldn't get our heads above water."
Scarlett underwent emergency surgery, Keller said. She had a broken femur, tibia, ribs, cerebral contusion, multiple areas of brain bleeding and was intubated.
After a six day stay at the hospital, Scarlett was discharged to stay with Keller. The next day, she attended the funeral for her mother and brother. Over a 100 people attended, Keller said.
Keller described Denney as a loving person with a witty sense of humor. She said she worked as a nursing assistant and supported her family.
"Sammy was the person that held our web of family together," Keller said. "She was the one that stayed connected to everybody and help everybody else stay connected."
Adonis was a sweet, joyful and curious baby who "loved everything with a motor and wheels," Keller said.
"Just a tiny human full of love and innocence," Keller said. "A whole world to discover, a life to live, sisters to love and protect when he got older. His whole life was severed short."
Wilson said she appreciated hearing what made Denney and her Adonis special. She then offered some parting words for their family.
"I hope that you can focus on the love that was Sam and Adonis, and that you will see Sam in Scarlett and in each other, and you will comfort each other and you will be able to remember more often their lives and what they meant to you than their tragic deaths."
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