AP

Man gets 2 years for crash that killed pregnant woman, sons

Jan 4, 2023, 4:32 AM | Updated: 6:41 pm

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois man charged in a July 2017 crash that killed a pregnant woman and her three sons was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison.

Sean Woulfe, 30, of Orland Park pleaded guilty in July to five counts of reckless homicide.

Will County Judge Daniel Rippy sentenced Woulfe to two years for each of the victims, including the woman’s unborn child. The sentences will run concurrently.

Authorities said that Woulfe was driving at more than 80 mph (128 kph) seconds before he ran through a stop sign in Beecher and slammed into a car carrying Lindsey Schmidt and her three young sons.

Schmidt, who was pregnant, was pronounced dead at the scene, as was her 19-month-old son, Kaleb. Four-year-old Weston and 6-year-old Owen died days later.

Woulfe has been in custody since deciding to plead guilty after his trial ended in a mistrial last March.

At sentencing, Woulfe told the court: “From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. … I know the Schmidt family never plans on forgiving me or not hating me, but I hope they know how sorry I am.”

The Rev. Frank Italiano, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Crete, shared a statement from Lindsey Schmidt’s mother, Tammy Riechers, who wrote: “After five long years, you have lied and denied everything. What you have done is unforgivable.”

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