GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County judge sentenced a driver accused of causing a fatal crash to 20 years in prison.
Pamela Leak, 39, was killed in the wreck caused by Sabrina Townes.
When Townes walked into court Monday, she thought she had a deal with prosecutors, but a judge threw it out and gave her a harsher sentence after listening to emotional testimony from Leak’s family.
“Every day I look at my phone and I want to text her, I want to call her, I want to tell her I love her,” Leak’s sister, Malka Leak, said.
Malka Leak broke down as she told the judge about the months since her sister's death, and the questions her sister's son still has about what happened.
“He wanted to know if a person had seizures, why would they get behind the wheel? Why would they drive that fast?” Malka Leak said in court.
Leak was driving on Highway 316 in May of 2014 when, witnesses say, Townes drove on the shoulder trying to pass several cars. Townes admitted she was driving 75 miles per hour when she lost control of her car. She caused a seven-car chain reaction accident. Leak was killed.
Townes was already wanted in DeKalb County at the time for another vehicular homicide. She didn't have a license, either.
Townes initially blamed the accident on someone else, then claimed she had a seizure.
“There are consequences to every action,” Judge Kathryn Schrader said in court. “Maybe you had a seizure that day, I don't know what happened that day, except a lot of people got hurt and a precious baby boy’s momma was killed.”
DeKalb and Gwinnett prosecutors agreed to a 15-year sentence in both cases, but the Leak family objected.
“I don't understand how someone who could make such a senseless decision would get to negotiate. Why 15 years is enough?” Pamela's cousin Trayce Leak said.
The judge agreed, tossing out the plea deal, and handing Townes a 20 year sentence.
“This baby boy will not be able see his mother on this earth because of the decision you made,” Schrader told Townes.
When the judge threw out the negotiated plea and added time, Townes could have rejected it and gone to trial. She decided to go ahead and take the extra time and not risk getting the maximum time at a trial -- 53 years behind bars.
“Ms. Townes' family, no matter how many years she gets here, they can go see her. Her kids can touch her, her kids can tell her they love her, she can tell them she loves them. Jadin doesn't get that," Malka Leak told the judge through tears.
Pamela Leak’s son, Jadin, is now 11 years old and lives with his aunt.
“He still smiles, he still laughs, he has his moments. He still misses his mom, but he's a forgiving little boy,” Malka Leak said.
Townes chose not to say anything in court Monday. She was sentenced last week in DeKalb County. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning she will spend 20 years in prison total.
“Any amount of time probably wouldn't be good enough for me, but I am happy it was increased from what it was,” Malka Leak said. “Now I can go home and tell Jadin that it's over and his mom has justice today.”