The man who killed two people in an Interstate 565 crash in 2021 was sentenced to 30 years in prison after signing a plea deal.
Jacob Stephens, of Athens, was convicted of two counts of reckless murder and two counts of first-degree assault
Hannah Parton and Arlene Velasquez were killed, and five others were injured when Stephens drove into oncoming traffic, striking two vehicles.
Parton’s mother, Sheila Smith, said agreeing to a plea was a difficult decision.
“Deciding whether to entertain a plea deal was the hardest decision I've ever had to make,” Smith said. “I looked at it from every angle.”
“He took two lives, so I feel he deserved more than 30 years,” she continued. “However, we could have gone to trial, which would have been extremely difficult and there's a chance he could have gotten less time. Sadly, it's like rolling the dice.”
The family has filed a civil lawsuit against Stephens.
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