The family of Hannah Parton, one of two women killed in a 2021 Madison County crash, are speaking out after they say the criminal case is taking too long to go to trial.
Jacob Stephens is charged with two counts of reckless murder and two counts of first-degree assault in the deaths of Parton and Arlene Velasquez. Five others were injured.
The Parton family has also filed a civil lawsuit against Stephens. The lawsuit claims Stephens was under the influence of alcohol and was speeding when he hit two vehicles.
Parton's stepfather, Brent Smith, told 1819 News the trial had been set and postponed several times, delaying justice. The trial is scheduled for June 23, but the family is concerned.
"We're hopeful for everything and just hoping we get justice," Smith said. "But there is another defendant on the docket on the same day, and it just is not looking good already."
"We're just kind of bracing ourselves for another letdown once again," he said. "And when June rolls around, it'll be over three and a half years after the crash."
Madison County District Attorney's office chief deputy Tim Gann told 1819 News that unprecedented population growth and other factors have led to a backlog in criminal cases.
"We are, if not the busiest, at least the second busiest circuit in our state," said Gann. "And our population has exploded. We have a lot of cases to deal with, and really, we're dealing with some of the COVID backlog."
"So, it is not unusual for cases, especially cases of this magnitude that have this much evidence and involvement, to take a while just because there's so many moving parts to get to trial," he added.
Gann said the Stephens trial has also been delayed due to scheduling conflicts with the defense team. However, he believes and hopes that the trial will happen this time.
"I believe now the case is a special setting, which means it will take priority, and it is set for June 23," Gann said. "So, it will be the first case on the docket, and that is the date we're planning on trying it."
Gann said the Stephens case is one of the older cases, and the DA's office wants it to go to trial.
"It's not unusual for cases to get pushed, but we would love for this case to be tried as soon as possible, and we will be ready to try it," Gann explained.
Smith said that Huntsville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, so he has a message for anyone moving there.
"There's a lot of things that they're not keeping up with," he warned. "I mean, it's like the roads are slipping, and Huntsville and the judges are slipping."
"So, if you move to Huntsville, we feel like people need to know this," he continued. "If you move to Huntsville and you're a victim of crime by somebody, under the influence driving, for example, and they kill your loved one, this is what you're going to experience: Years and years and years before that person is going to be brought to justice for killing your loved one."
The Parton family wants closure and says putting the criminal and civil cases behind them will help.
"It's like leaving the family in limbo, and you can't move on," Smith said. "And it's just whether the defendant Jacob Stevens got 20 years or whether they got 40 years in prison, that's irrelevant in the sense that you can't move on."
"Even in the civil trial, they can't move on with that until the criminal trial is finished, so it delays everything," he added.
The family is also talking to lawmakers about creating a statute to increase the penalties and fines for anyone driving under the influence in a construction zone.
"If we could just save one person's life from this tragic event, that'll help a lot, too," he said.
Stephens is considered innocent until proven guilty.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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