Idaho man sentenced to 15 years for hitting 16-year-old girl while driving drunk
After striking a 16-year-old girl with his vehicle while driving under the influence, a Melba man might spend the rest of his life in prison.
On May 20, Ada County District Court Judge Peter Barton sentenced Joseph Jefferies, 70, to 15 years in prison after a jury convicted him in March of aggravated driving under the influence. Jefferies could be eligible for parole after 10 years, according to online court records.
Jefferies, of Melba, was arrested after an incident on Sept. 2, 2019, at West Avalon Street and North School Avenue in Kuna. Authorities say he hit Sunshine Bryden in a marked crosswalk while she was walking her dog. He was driving with a blood alcohol content of .096, exceeding the legal limit of .08.
The force of the impact moved the girl about 70 feet down the street, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. The dog was also injured.
Last year, the teenager’s mother, Carolyn Bryden, told the Idaho Statesman that her daughter sustained a broken neck and leg, and had to undergo surgery.
If and when Jefferies is released from prison, his driver’s license will be suspended for five years.
This wasn’t his first DUI conviction. He also had convictions in 2006 and 2001, according to online court records.
This story was originally published May 26, 2020 at 12:16 PM.
