18-month term for man blamed in nurse's death

CEDAR CITY (AP) — An illegal immigrant blamed for the death of a nurse who stopped to check his overturned truck was sentenced to 18 months in jail for negligent homicide.

"This is something that he feels horribly about," said Jeff Slack, attorney for Florencio Bernal.

Bernal went home and fell asleep, leaving his overturned pickup truck on state Road 56 on Jan. 28.

VerLee Hunt, 57, was driving to her job at a hospital, saw the truck and stopped to check if anyone was inside.

A Chevy Suburban carrying five people on the same road slammed into the truck and Hunt's vehicle, killing her.

Bernal pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and was sentenced Monday to the Iron County Jail.

Bernal eventually will be turned over to immigration agents, said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.