A teary-eyed courtroom as woman sentenced for vehicular manslaughter

By By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Sep 10, 2008 at 11:18 AM EST

Story Updated: Sep 10, 2008 at 6:56 PM EST

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - There was not a dry eye in court as the brother of a man killed in a drugged driving crash embraces the woman responsible.

Prosecutors say Jodi Lynn Marris crossed three lanes of traffic without braking or slowing down --slamming into 48-year old Peter Zacek.

It happened last September on Route 12 in Deerfield. Wednesday, Marris heard her sentence for the crime.

Jodi Lynn Marris pleaded guilty to 2nd degree vehicular manslaughter in the death of Peter Zacek. She was clearly upset when the brother of the man she killed calmly addressed her and the court

"One of these books is the importance of forgiveness; the other is the way for eternal life," said George Zacek, the victim's brother. "If myself and my family know that you're on that track, that'd be the greatest thing that you could do for us."

Even victim Peter Zacek's father asked the judge for leniency on behalf of the woman who killed his son. The prosecutor stressed that regardless of Marris' remorse, a life was taken and to let her go unpunished would send a dangerous message to other young people who think it's ok to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

The originally agreed upon sentence was 2-6 years in state prison.

The judge sentenced Marris to 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years in state prison.
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