Pray woman who killed Canadian cyclist near Clancy receives 10 years in prison

A Pray woman who killed a Canadian cyclist near Clancy and fled the scene was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison with 20 suspended after family of the victim asked, "why didn't you stop?" Cameron Jaeger, the victim involved in Darlene R. Severin's case, takes a photo of himself near a body of water. A sentencing hearing for Darlene R.

Severin, 46, was split into two parts with the first on Jan. 15 filled with testimony from Cameron Jaeger's family and friends and the defendant's parents and family friend. She was sentenced for felony vehicular homicide while under the influence and received 269 days credit for time served since she has been incarcerated since she was arrested April 27.



"That sentence is in no way fair to my son or our family. We should have gone to trial," Cameron Jaeger's mother, Sandy, said. In the first half of the sentencing, Jefferson County District Court Judge Luke Berger grappled with his responsibility to uphold the law while offering a fair and accurate hearing since Severin's attorney appeared via Zoom due to an unforeseen emergency.

"This is beyond a serious hearing," Berger said Jan. 15. He wanted to make sure the defendant had every opportunity to gain a full understanding of what was transpiring, while giving the possibility of closure to the victim's family and friends.

Hesitancy to move forward was clear, but testimony was allowed from each side. Prosecutors offered testimony from six people, including Jaeger's mother and father. Sandy Jaeger expressed the amount of loss from the world due to Cameron's "extraordinary" life.

Jaeger was killed April 27 when Severin was driving on state Highway 282 near Clancy and collided with the cyclist. "She hit him so hard that the only organs left to donate were his eyes," Conrad, the victim's brother, said Jan. 15.

"All I am left with after Darlene's actions is a box of ashes." Darlene R. Severin The defendant did not stop to give aid to the victim during his final moments even though she had nursing experience and served 20 years in the U.

S. Army, according to her mother Rachel Palmbers. She was followed by a witness until she was found on Forest Park Drive by law enforcement, court documents state.

Wednesday, prosecutors informed the court of facts from the night of the incident. One prosecutor said Severin's blood alcohol level registered a .233, nearly three times the legal limit, after he incident.

She was traveling on state Highway 282 at 78 mph in a 50 mph zone and only hit the brakes .06 seconds before impact, based on data pulled from her vehicle. "This momentous loss was due to a senseless act," Sandy Jaeger said Jan.

15 in her testimony. Jaeger, 36, was born in Canmore, Alberta, Canada, and was an avid swimmer, cross-country skier and wildland firefighter. "He was a modern Renaissance man," his mother said a teacher called him.

The passionate outdoorsman was set to be married in summer, but that was stripped away from his fiancé Kayleigh Montgomery. "I ache everyday during family celebrations. We will never be whole again," Sandy said Jan.

15. Jaeger's father, Rodney, addressed Severin directly and said, "You took away my oldest son and best friend ..

. I have nightmares about how you drove over my son and left him to die." Will Goehner, a friend of the victim, was with him on April 27 near Clancy.

He said they were joking together prior to the incident. "I watched Ms. Severin run from the scene," he said.

"Every night I watch you drive away." Darlene R. Severin reads a statement during her sentencing hearing in Jefferson County District Court on Jan.

22. Jaeger's aunt, Karen Plaschewsky, remembered the night of April 27 as a tragedy that forever changed her life and said Severin let them down through a selfish act. She called Severin a "shallow, selfish coward," during her testimony Jan.

15. The voices of the family were not unheard by Severin's party. Her mother spoke to the family from the witness stand and offered her condolences.

"I want to acknowledge the pain and suffering. Our family prays for you and we mourn with you ..

. we always will," Palmbers said. Over the last eight months, she added, Severin's family has witnessed her remorse for the incident and talked about her daughter's lifelong compassion for others.

A "trustworthy and loyal friend" that added "vital contributions" to the community were some of the traits Severin's mother talked about in the courtroom. The defendant's father, Dean, added to the mother's statements, saying his daughter had great qualities as a person and was "honest and compassionate." Severin addressed the court, but was reminded her defense counsel was only appearing via Zoom by Berger.

She asked if she could address the family directly. Berger obliged. "It is with great remorse that I write this," she said as she apologized with tear-filled eyes looking at the victim's family.

Severin said she will honor "Cam" for the rest of her life through her actions in the community. "I pray for you every day ..

. I am deeply sorry," she said. Severin on Wednesday made a second statement to the court clarifying topics in the pre-sentence investigation report and explained that she was in shock during the incident.

She added she would honor Sandy's wish of joining Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), a nonprofit organization that Sandy is affiliated with that aims to end drunken driving and support victims of incidents caused by intoxicated drivers, its website says. There were 22 letters of character entered into the record by community on behalf of Severin, who asked the judge for mercy based on the letters. The state recommended a prison sentence of 30 years with 20 suspended in the Montana State Prison with a seven year parole restriction, while the defense recommended 30 years, all suspended.

Berger sentenced Severin to a 10-year prison sentence and left the parole restriction up to the parole board. He also granted the state's recommendation of roughly $11,800 restitution that would cover burial costs for the victim's family. "Had you been sober this would have been a different situation," Berger said prior to sentencing.

Cameron Jaeger's family expressed their grief after the sentencing. "That's my boy," Sandy Jaeger said, holding a photo of her son with tears rolling down her cheeks. "These are his ashes," she said clutching a small yellow bottle.

Sandy Jaeger said at least with the sentence Severin will have to remember the guilt for the rest of her life. "I hope you breathe it every day Darlene," she said as Severin exited the courtroom. Sonny Tapia is a criminal justice and education reporter for the Helena Independent Record.

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