Christopher Small knew he had to pick up his children from day care and school that afternoon, but he still drank at least two shots of Fireball whiskey and consumed marijuana before hopping in his car to pick up the kids.
He collected his 4-year-old son, Lucca, from a Woodland Park day care on Feb. 20, but lost control of the car while driving in Douglas County on the way to pick up his daughter. He was driving 25 mph faster than the speed limit on Colorado 67 and crashed, killing Lucca.
Douglas County District Judge Shay Whittaker last week sentenced Small, 31, to 18 years in prison for vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, according to a news release from the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office. Small previously pleaded guilty to the charge.
Whittaker criticized Small’s conscious decision to drive after drinking.
“What is even more horrifying is that it could have been worse,” she said, referencing the fact that Small was on his way to pick up his daughter.
Small’s blood-alcohol content was at .098 when it was tested four hours after the crash. His blood also had 3.5 nanograms of THC, about seven times the amount , according to the news release. Small’s blood-alcohol content likely was more than double the legal limit at the time of the crash, according to the release.
“This was not a tragic accident. This was reckless, narcissistic behavior,” Lucca’s grandfather, Mike Whittemore, said at the sentencing, according to the news release. “Lucca didn’t die in a horrible accident — he died at the hands of his father.”
Small was arrested again in November for driving under the influence while he was free on bond in the vehicular homicide case.
Prosecutors asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 20 years, noting Small could be released on parole in 5 or 6 years.
“There are no words to capture the magnitude of this loss,” District Attorney George Brauchler said.
