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Randall and 9-year-old Donovan Best were ejected. (Image courtesy WSP/Trooper Guy Gill)

Suspect in DUI death of nephew, 9, released from hospital

BY Brandi Kruse  on March 18, 2013 @ 5:55 am (Updated: 2:33 pm - 3/18/13 )

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The man suspected of killing his young nephew in a car crash early Sunday morning has been released from the hospital and booked into jail, according to a state patrol spokesperson.

Jayce L. Randall, 26, will be charged with vehicular homicide.

Randall was driving his niece and nephew to their grandparents house after a family barbeque when he rolled his vehicle on State Route 16 around 1:30 a.m.

Randall and his nephew, 9-year-old Donovan Best, were ejected from the vehicle. While Randall suffered a broken pelvis, Best suffered critical injuries and was taken off life support late Sunday night after a test showed no brain activity.

"He was an exceptional kid; very smart, very talented. He had a lot of potential," said his great uncle, Dale Lewandowski. "It's very said that it was all taken away."

Lewandowski said Randall drank at the family gathering, but no one knew how much. Troopers said his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit and that he was also high on marijuana at the time of the crash.

"He had a few drinks; obviously a few too many," Lewandowski said. "My guess would be he didn't realize the extent of his intoxication and nobody else did either. He's a good kid. He doesn't have a police record."

Prior to his release, Randall had been placed on suicide watch at Tacoma General Hospital.

"He just made a bad decision," Lewandowski said. "People do that and unfortunately his nephew had to pay for it."

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (22)


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  • BikeNazi wrote...
    This is why we can't have nice things
    March 18, 2013 5:37 am
    Better make alcohol illegal. If the driver didn't have access to booze that boy might still be alive. There is no therapeutic use for alcohol regardless of how much tax revenue it generates.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    Leave it to the Libtards to go after the alcohol and not the person.
    March 18, 2013 10:55 am
    I am surprised they are not trying to ban cars now after all they all think it is not the Uncles fault as he was drunk so it must be the cars or the alcohol’s fault. When there is a shooting Libtards always blame the gun and never blame psychotic mental patient and or all of the drugs he is on or the drugs he had just ran out of. (Why the double standards?)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DonVigo wrote...
    You missed the joke...
    March 18, 2013 1:13 pm
    But still feel the need to try and call someone else stupid? Sad world you live in, Zoeller... So many kettles, and you the lone pot to point out their true colors.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    DonV - I got the joke but........
    March 18, 2013 7:56 pm
    Nazi never is too funny in the first place. ..... And this story and post are not really to make jokes about.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Gar57 wrote...
    So, Zoeller, to be consistent with your point...
    March 18, 2013 3:51 pm
    wouldn't you then be in favor of background checks to deny weapons to "psychotic mental patients"?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paladinlich wrote...
    Asinine
    March 18, 2013 8:34 pm
    Why does your world resolve around guns? This has nothing to do with guns. Most gun owners are scared little cowardly rabbit's with small ding-dongs who hide behind the 2nd Amendment. As a wise ancient Chinese philosopher once said, "Those who can't think, fight." As I've said before, I have a million ways of solving problems. The least of which is pulling a gun. Grow some real bells.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Typical Liberal reaction
    March 19, 2013 4:50 am
    When you have no argument resort to name calling.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paladinlich wrote...
    Apology
    March 19, 2013 4:15 pm
    Your right Rick W7PSK, name calling is childish. I apologize for that. I can articulate a very compelling & intelligent anti-gun position. However, this isn't the appropiate story to write it. So next time there is a gun control story look for my post!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • wsualumn wrote...
    Time To Make An Example
    March 18, 2013 5:46 am
    It's time to make an example of this guy. Unfortunately, a long prison term probably won't do much for this dim wit, but it would hopefully send a message out to the other potential dim wits.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    A good deterent is
    March 18, 2013 7:47 am
    Losing your license forever, take the bus.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Tyrone DeVille wrote...
    The Uncle Under Suicide Watch at the Hospital!
    March 18, 2013 10:40 am
    No doubt the taxpayers are picking up the bill for this piece-of-garbage. Prayrers that he finds the wherewithall to accomplish his desires.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BikerDude wrote...
    On the news
    March 18, 2013 10:55 am
    they keep calling it an accident... Sorry but this is NOT an accident, it is murder. Drunk and High... great and just when you think people can't get any dumber. I feel for the child and the family but nothing for his "uncle".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • O-town listener wrote...
    bikerdude..
    March 18, 2013 12:35 pm
    I agree - not an accident. DUI's are no accident they are a choice. And so much the greater of a bad choice when there are children in the car. Punishments for DUI have to be increased.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dexterjibs wrote...
    alcohol and marijuana
    March 18, 2013 3:40 pm
    Time to go to prison for a while. Don't know why the rest of the family let him drive with kids in the car.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Leave it to the Libtards to go after the alcohol and not the person.
    March 18, 2013 5:10 pm
    leave it to me to go after the you and not the story Zoeller . Hey xxxcop what did that kop get when his kid killed his other kid with his 'LE' gun? Paid leave? You guys in LE are a joke.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • froggy wrote...
    The guy could have crashed on either drug but.
    March 18, 2013 5:14 pm
    high speed is typical of alcohol intoxication. Running into the rear-end of other cars is typical of marijuana intoxication. Delayed reaction is typical of both. Mixing drugs increases the affects of the ingested drugs in what's called potentiation. So anyone claiming that marijuana was not a factor is not telling the truth.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dexterjibs wrote...
    you nailed it Froggy
    March 18, 2013 10:33 pm
    Marijuana legalization is not a libertarian utopia, but it is a motorists nightmare cuz the amount of intoxicated drivers on the road increases.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paladinlich wrote...
    Another drunk/drugged driver...
    March 18, 2013 8:11 pm
    Even though it was the brother of the kids mother, it's the parents personal responsibility to make sure the person they let drive their kids at 1:30 am or anytime is not drunk & stoned. I don't believe for one moment this is the 1st time this guy has driven under the influence- just the 1st time he's been caught. I also don't believe for one moment the family didn't know he liked to drive drunk. My point- he & the parents should both go to jail. They say this guy is on suicide watch but I bet he doesn't kill himself but instead gets a defense attorney & pleads not guilty to try to weasel his way out of accepting responsibility. And why is the family sticking up for this trash & trying to minimize what he did? Did they forget his irresponsible drinking behavior killed an innocent child! Everybody knows drinking/drugging & driving kills. As a result, the killing of this child is unforgivable. Rot in jail & burn in hell creep.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dexterjibs wrote...
    you nailed it too, paladinich
    March 18, 2013 10:35 pm
    Where was the parents and rest of the family to step up and prevent him from driving with these kids in the car.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    Where were the parents at 1:30 in the morning of these children
    March 19, 2013 6:20 am
    Didn't see that question asked.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Paladinlich wrote...
    I knew it!
    March 19, 2013 4:18 pm
    Like I predicted, he doesn't feel that bad about killing his nephew. He plead not guilty to a crime he knows he committed!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Newton wrote...
    Sad to say the least.
    March 19, 2013 12:25 am
    Tragic is what happened. The loss of life is terrible. No brain activity. I myself would have given the nephew more time to see if brain activity returns. Sad and a call only the family could make.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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