BEND, Ore. (AP) — A La Pine driver was sentenced Wednesday to more than two years in prison for a fatal crash near Bend that occurred while he was texting his girlfriend who was sitting next to him.
Deschutes County Circuit Judge Alta Brady told 29-year-old Erik Conn it was as if he were driving blindfolded last June when he drove into a 16-year-old riding a bike. Forrest Cepeda was crushed into a rock wall and died.
Conn pleaded guilty to criminal negligent homicide in a plea deal to avoid a manslaughter charge.
KTVZ reports (http://is.gd/OWYbem ) Conn apologized in court to Cepeda’s family. Cepeda’s family complained the sentence was too lenient for someone who was texting the person right next to him before the crash.
