By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of the Carbon County Sheriffs Office
Tyler Laws faced the honorable Judge Brian Bolinder on Tuesday, April 22, to face sentencing on charges stemming from a July 27 car crash, which resulted in the death of 16-year-old Jaxxlyn Cowley and 22-year-old MaCade Davis.
Facing two counts of automobile homicide, a second-degree felony, three counts of failure to register as a sex offender, a third-degree felony and one count of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury, a class A misdemeanor. Laws pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to the probable cause statement from the crash, Laws held a blood alcohol content of .143, nearly three times the legal limit of .05. Additionally, the vehicle Laws was operating was registered going 112 MPH at the time of the crash. Deputies on the scene of the crash attempted to pull the burning body of Cowley from the wreckage to no avail,
“Tyler Laws’ choices have rippled throughout the community, causing harm to many different individuals in a multitude of ways,” said Prosecuting attorney Dominique Kiatiphes as she presented these facts of the case to those in attendance for the sentencing – an audience that consisted of family members of Laws and the victims of the crash.
Defense attorney John Diamond acknowledged the horrific result of Law’s actions but pleaded for leniency. The lawyer stated that his client did not intend to cause harm that night and has shown extreme remorse in the time since.
Family members of the victims and Laws were allowed to address the court, reading impact statements before Bolinder handed down judgment.
Laws was found guilty on all charges facing him. For the two counts of automobile homicide, Laws will be incarcerated for 5-15 years in the Utah State Prison. For the counts of failing to register as a sex offender, Laws will serve 0-5 years for each of the three charges with a year of mandated probation. Lastly, he will serve one year for the charge of negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury.
Laws will serve these sentences consecutively in the Utah State Prison at the prosecution’s recommendation.