By Shannon Lukens.
Jessica Stahl was sentenced to 22 years in prison today, for the death of 25-year-old Lacey Lewis of Steamboat Springs. This was the maximum penalty, as requested from the District Attorney’s office in Douglas County.
The first charge had a sentence of 12 years for Vehicular Homicide DUI. The charge of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death was 10 years. Judge Patricia Herron in the 18th Judicial District in Douglas County said those two sentences have to be served consecutively, for 22 years. Other charges of six years for Vehicular Assault DUI and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Serious Bodily Injury each received six years, served concurrently. 46-year-old Stahl received 120 days in jail (which has already been served) for Child abuse – Knowingly/Recklessly – No Injury, since she had her 8-year-old daughter in the car with her at the time of the accident.
Lacey Lewis’s parents, Kathy and Mike, received the call of their daughter’s deadly accident at 2:47 a.m. on June 15, 2022. Lacey had been hit and killed in Parker, Colo. Jessica Stahl was behind the wheel, with her 8-year-old daughter in the car. Stahl had stopped and waited for six minutes. She did not call 911. Then she left the scene and drove about a mile, over 70 mph in a construction zone. Police caught up with her and she stopped again.
The district attorney in the case said the nurses at the hospital spent over an hour trying to draw blood from Stahl, but they couldn’t “because of her lifelong heroin use.” Testimony in the jury trial said Stahl had used meth, fentanyl, and heroin 24 hours before the accident. “She had no business driving a vehicle.” And she said in court today that Stahl gave multiple stories to law enforcement and that she had a long list of charges and convictions in her life. And she is a maximum risk. That’s why they asked for the maximum sentence.
Judge Herron said this isn’t a DUI case where someone has a drink and gets behind the wheel. “This is far more than that.” She told Stahl that she has had many opportunities to correct her behavior and do better. “This was something that could have been prevented.”
Judge Herron said Stahl had a lack of accountability for the time of day, that her child was with her, and the impact it will have on her child, and the many inconsistencies she told to local law enforcement. She added, “Your daughter was crying for her mother when this occurred and shortly after.” ‘
She then said that she would like Stahl to reflect on “what drugs have taken from you.” She added that her actions have impacted the lives of her husband, her mother, and her sister who will all suffer because of her.
Lacey’s siblings testified. Statements from the parents were read. Things that were said included how they have “deep grief” and their lives will never be the same. “The pain is indescribable.”
“Lacey was the brightest light of our family. Our family has suffered heartbreak that no one can ever prepare a family for.”
One brother said he will never forget the sobbing of his mother in the background on the phone, as his dad was trying to tell him that Lacey had died. He told Stahl, “Take accountability and ownership of the mistakes you have made. Do it for your daughter.”
Lacey’s sister, Whitney, told Stahl in the courtroom that Stahl’s decisions have permanently impacted her life, her family, and her community. “One of the most important people in my life was taken away. Lacey was an absolute light in this world.”
Lacey’s mom, Cathy, said, “My heart is permanently broken. My heart physically aches for her.”
Lacey’s dad, Mike, said he still thinks of Lacey every single morning and throughout the day. “We are all living every parent’s nightmare.”
He said he would like Stahl to do two things. One, is to view Lacey’s Memorial Service so she can see how wonderful she was. The second is to enter a drug rehabilitation program.
“WHEN A COWGIRL GOES TO HEAVEN” RELEASED TODAY ABOUT LACEY LEWIS
Social Media Post on June 16, 2022
Finally, this statement was made in court from Steamboat Radio News Director Shannon Lukens.
Victim Statement to Judge Herron in the 18th Judicial District for sentencing of Jessica Stahl; July 28, 2023.
Please realize the impact the death of 25-year-old Lacey Lewis has had on the Steamboat Springs and Routt County communities.
When someone from out of town dies in our community, we are sad, but we never fully see the impact it has on this person’s hometown. Lacey Lewis was killed in Parker, on the Front Range, close to 200 miles away from her hometown in Steamboat Springs, on the Western Slope. I would like you to realize what this did to our community.
As News Director for Steamboat Radio News, my phone started ringing before 7 a.m. that morning in June 2022, that something awful had happened to a member of our community – Lacey Lewis. This was from multiple moms, who were devastated to hear the news, and asking me to find out and confirm, which I did with the Douglas County Coroner and Parker Police Department. I would also like to commend Eric Ross with the 18th Judicial District who has been tremendously helpful during this process.
Once confirmed, I posted the news to the Facebook page on Steamboat Radio. There was so much interaction on the post that it reached 31,770 people with 1,910 engagements, right away.
LINK: https://www.facebook.com/SteamboatRadio1/posts/5161946113923563
73 people shared the post.
220 commented on the post. Here are a few. The first three… their daughters were best friends with Lacey.
Paula Pepper Salky The Salky girls and family are devastated to hear this news. Lacey was exquisite and adored by everyone. Her smile was radiant and we will carry on her light and blessed memory with an abundance of love for family, friends, community and animals. Unfathomable. Love to the Lewis’s.
Bethany Craighead Aurin Lacey was a cherished member of the Steamboat community and embodied everything great about our town. Her dad is a highly respected realtor, musician, and taught band to hundreds of young students in our schools, her mom an avid volunteer who always made time first for her family despite professional demands, her siblings are all artistically and educationally gifted, and her friends all love and admire her compassion for her nursing pursuits and beloved horses. Lacey was an incredible athlete and thankfully the glue for our families was cemented in horses. She was a gifted competitor, trainer, and partner for her cherished hairy beasts. Lacey leaves huge holes in so many hearts, please reflect on this if you ever see a drunk driver and report them before the sparkle of someone else’s life is taken!
Elizabeth Jane Kocik Heaven truly gained an angel today. Lacey’s loving kindness touched all who knew her. She was one of my daughter’s closest friends and she was very dear to our hearts. Our love and prayers go out to the entire family.
Sharon Stone This is beyond heartbreaking
Julie Warnke Nnnooooooo!! I am so filled with sorrow to hear this. Lacey was a shining light in this world. Holding the family in my heart
Lynn Swenson Newman Our hearts mourn with your family. Sweet Lacey was a gift to all our hearts that she touched throughout her life.
Lisa Lorenz My deepest sorrow and love go out to Kathy and Mike and everyone in the Lewis family! Lacey had the most exquisite heart and was such a sweet human.
Lisa Ruff Lacey was a rare soul. Full of love for life. The Ruff family expresses its sadness at this tragic news. We hold her family in our thoughts.
Julia Rossi She was a light and this world won’t be the same without her.
Of course, you are hearing from the Lewis family on their heartbreak and sorrow in losing their youngest child to something so horrific, senseless, and avoidable.
But I want you to also know that this loss was so much more in our community to so very many people. And they all know, and they have all seen the mug shots of the person who is guilty of doing this, with a list of drugs and alcohol in her system AND her young daughter in the car with her, in the middle of the night.
But eventually, I couldn’t show her face on our social media pages any more as it would raise up the hatred in our community again for the person who killed such a beautiful young woman. So now they see beautiful Lacey Lewis, with her horse, with her friends, and with her smile.
Thank you, Judge Herron, and your staff, and the District Attorney’s office, for realizing the gravity and depth of this horrible loss to the Steamboat Springs community. Please consider the strongest punishment, so this woman NEVER does this to anyone else again.
Shannon Lukens
Steamboat Radio and KRAI – News Director