Sandi Healey was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison for an auto accident last September on Interstate 70 that killed her 2-year-old daughter, Samantha.
A son was also injured in the crash, which occurred when Healey crashed her sport utility vehicle near Sheridan Boulevard after clipping a flatbed tow truck parked on the shoulder of the road.
A number of people attempted to convince Denver District Judge Larry Naves that sending Healey, 31, to prison would devastate her other children, who survived the crash.
Her lawyers, a caseworker and a family member pointed out that since the tragedy, Healey has done such a remarkable job in turning her life around that she has been allowed to stay at home and raise the other children.
Defense attorney Lindy Frolich said Healey’s other children suffered a significant loss in the death of their young sister. And Frolich worried what would happen to the other children if faced with another significant loss – their mother going to prison.
But Naves said that to give Healey probation would minimize the seriousness of what she did.
“Not only was a child killed, but other citizens driving on the highway were lucky they weren’t severely injured or killed,” Naves said.
Although Healey is remorseful about what happened to her daughter and her three other children in the vehicle, a prison term was warranted, Naves said.
As a result, Naves sentenced Healey to four years in prison for vehicular homicide and two years for vehicular assault, to be served simultaneously.
Moments before, prosecutor Bonnie Benedetti said that although the caseworker and Healey’s lawyers worried about the effect of a prison term on the children, judges deal daily with families torn apart by the misdeeds of parents.
Here, Benedetti said, Healey was “rip-roaring drunk” when she got into a vehicle full of kids and proceeded down the interstate at speeds in excess of 70 mph.
A witness told police Healey was driving erratically before and after she entered the interstate. Another witness saw a half-empty vodka bottle next to the wreckage.
Chris Lynch, a Jefferson County child-welfare caseworker, testified that Healey was a remarkable example of a person who had turned the corner and was doing well.
“She is at home with the children,” Lynch said. “A lot of wounds have been healed. From our point of view, Ms. Healey is capable and needs to be part of the family.”
And Robyn Merkel, Samantha’s aunt, told the judge she thought Healey should remain with the children.
“It is time to heal this family,” Merkel said. “You can’t bring Samantha back. Sandi can real ly make a difference in her children’s lives.”
And Healey said she could.
“I just want to be there for my children,” Healey told the judge.
Staff writer Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-820-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
