AUBURN - A grieving mother said she must forgive her ex-husband for a drunk driving accident that killed her 4-year-old daughter last summer.
“As mad as we are about the situation we have to forgive,” Stacey Lamphere said in Cayuga County Court Tuesday. “Jerry will spend a lifetime facing himself for what has happened and knowing that our precious baby is gone. We pray and trust that God will put his hand on the sentencing for Jerry, for he's already been sentenced for a lifetime already.”
Jerry Lamphere was sentenced to an agreed-upon five to 10 years in state prison, as well as a $1,000 fine and $500 in other fees, for the felony of second-degree manslaughter and the misdemeanors of endangering the welfare of a child and driving while intoxicated.
Brooke Lamphere was not in a child seat when she died in a one-car crash on Potter Road in Throop 2:56 a.m. July 21. Brooke was partially ejected through the rear window of Jerry's Dodge and suffered fatal trauma to her body.
“Massive injuries led directly and quickly to her death,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Jon Budelmann said.
The accident followed a domestic incident between Jerry and Stacey, who were not living together, which police said Stacey fled to contact authorities. Stacey had an order of protection against Jerry.
Jerry openly cried, as loved ones who attended in support of him and loved ones who attended in support of Stacey also cried.
“If I could go back and do this over again, it would never happen,” Jerry said. “She was my daughter and I was a good father. I tried to do everything I could for her. I wish it was me and not her. I'm sorry Stacey.”
Both Cayuga County Judge Mark Fandrich and Jerry's attorney, Doug Bates, said they felt he was already serving the worst punishment possible because his actions caused his child's death.
“I can't think of any worse punishment than knowing as a parent you killed your daughter,” Fandrich said.
Two one-year Cayuga County Jail sentences for the two misdemeanors will run at the same time as Lamphere's state prison sentence. Lamphere's license also was suspended for six months. He will appear in Auburn City Court next month to face a violation of probation charge.
Taylor Holzhauer, Stacey's older daughter from another relationship, was in the back seat of Lamphere's Dodge with Brooke and was not seriously injured when the car entered a ditch on the west side of Potter Road, flipped over and came to rest on its wheels.
An alkasensor test showed Lamphere had a .07 blood alcohol count while a blood test showed he had .10 blood alcohol count.
Authorities said he rounded a curve too fast, had been drinking throughout the day and was avoiding police responding to the domestic incident. Authorities also have said Lamphere threatened in a phone call to Stacey to drive off a hill with the children.
Lamphere said when Stacey left her Seymour Street residence, he put the two girls in his car to go get some pizza, he said. When he came back, he saw Auburn police in front of his ex-wife's residence, so Lamphere said he decided to take a back way home to avoid them. But he said he was not pursued by police and that the allegation he threatened to drive off a high point was related to an earlier, separate incident.
The APD responded to three domestic incidents involving the Lampheres in 2006, three in 2005 and others in 2004.
Lamphere was convicted in 1995 of the felony of second-degree assault. Lamphere also was convicted in 2004 of domestic violence-related menacing and harassment charges.
Stacey, dressed all in black, said she mourns not being able to see Brooke start school or witness what kind of person she would become. She said her elder daughter lost her best friend.
But she said she believed that there was a greater reason for the loss of her “little blonde with blue eyes.”
“As humans we don't understand why,” Stacey said. “Or why a four-year-old should have to leave the earth so sudden when she had a full life ahead of her. That's where your faith comes into play. You have to believe the Lord has a plan and a reason behind such a tragedy.
“As a mother you want to hold your child in your arms to hold and love. But until that day comes again, Jesus is holding Brooke until each family member joins her to fix the chain that has been broken.”
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
Jerry Lamphere was sentenced to an agreed-upon five to 10 years in state prison, as well as a $1,000 fine and $500 in other fees, for the felony of second-degree manslaughter and the misdemeanors of endangering the welfare of a child and driving while intoxicated.
Brooke Lamphere was not in a child seat when she died in a one-car crash on Potter Road in Throop 2:56 a.m. July 21. Brooke was partially ejected through the rear window of Jerry's Dodge and suffered fatal trauma to her body.
“Massive injuries led directly and quickly to her death,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Jon Budelmann said.
The accident followed a domestic incident between Jerry and Stacey, who were not living together, which police said Stacey fled to contact authorities. Stacey had an order of protection against Jerry.
Jerry openly cried, as loved ones who attended in support of him and loved ones who attended in support of Stacey also cried.
“If I could go back and do this over again, it would never happen,” Jerry said. “She was my daughter and I was a good father. I tried to do everything I could for her. I wish it was me and not her. I'm sorry Stacey.”
Both Cayuga County Judge Mark Fandrich and Jerry's attorney, Doug Bates, said they felt he was already serving the worst punishment possible because his actions caused his child's death.
“I can't think of any worse punishment than knowing as a parent you killed your daughter,” Fandrich said.
Two one-year Cayuga County Jail sentences for the two misdemeanors will run at the same time as Lamphere's state prison sentence. Lamphere's license also was suspended for six months. He will appear in Auburn City Court next month to face a violation of probation charge.
Taylor Holzhauer, Stacey's older daughter from another relationship, was in the back seat of Lamphere's Dodge with Brooke and was not seriously injured when the car entered a ditch on the west side of Potter Road, flipped over and came to rest on its wheels.
An alkasensor test showed Lamphere had a .07 blood alcohol count while a blood test showed he had .10 blood alcohol count.
Authorities said he rounded a curve too fast, had been drinking throughout the day and was avoiding police responding to the domestic incident. Authorities also have said Lamphere threatened in a phone call to Stacey to drive off a hill with the children.
Lamphere said when Stacey left her Seymour Street residence, he put the two girls in his car to go get some pizza, he said. When he came back, he saw Auburn police in front of his ex-wife's residence, so Lamphere said he decided to take a back way home to avoid them. But he said he was not pursued by police and that the allegation he threatened to drive off a high point was related to an earlier, separate incident.
The APD responded to three domestic incidents involving the Lampheres in 2006, three in 2005 and others in 2004.
Lamphere was convicted in 1995 of the felony of second-degree assault. Lamphere also was convicted in 2004 of domestic violence-related menacing and harassment charges.
Stacey, dressed all in black, said she mourns not being able to see Brooke start school or witness what kind of person she would become. She said her elder daughter lost her best friend.
But she said she believed that there was a greater reason for the loss of her “little blonde with blue eyes.”
“As humans we don't understand why,” Stacey said. “Or why a four-year-old should have to leave the earth so sudden when she had a full life ahead of her. That's where your faith comes into play. You have to believe the Lord has a plan and a reason behind such a tragedy.
“As a mother you want to hold your child in your arms to hold and love. But until that day comes again, Jesus is holding Brooke until each family member joins her to fix the chain that has been broken.”
Staff writer Amaris Elliott-Engel can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or at amaris.elliot-engel@lee.net
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