Young DUI driver to 'secure facility'

The young man who drove drunk and smashed into another car, killing four people, was sentenced by a juvenile court judge to a "secure facility" for juveniles where he will stay until age 21.

Third District Juvenile Judge Andrew Valdez previously decided to keep the youth in juvenile court, rather than certify him into adult court, in hopes the young man would get more alcohol treatment and other counseling in the juvenile system than he would get in the adult prison system.

Christopher Williams, 42, lost his wife, Michelle, 41; their unborn baby boy; son Ben, 11; and daughter Anna, 9, in the wreck.

Williams and his son, Sam, 6, were injured, but survived. Another son, Michael, 14, was not with the family at the time.

Christopher Williams said he forgave the youth and hoped the young man would honor the memory of those who died and show respect for those who are left behind by "making something of his life."

"On Feb. 9, 2007, the (youth's) family and the Williams family were handed a life sentence," Williams said, referring to the night of the crash.

Williams said he wished the youth would make use of the "wonderful resources" available for rehabilitation and hoped the boy would always remember that heartbreaking night as a turning point in his life, one that would commit him to "becoming a productive member of society."

Williams also said he hoped this would be an example to the community as well and that people would "seek for peace and healing rather than looking for retribution" in tragic cases.

Nadine Williams, Christopher's mother and grandmother to the dead children, said she has struggled to fight feelings of anger, especially when she heard he had been in juvenile court twice before, and she deeply desires that the youth turn his life around.

Audrea Dorny, Michelle Williams' mother and also grandmother to the deceased children, said she had known the young man's father and his family for years.

She wept as she described her life-loving grown daughter as someone who would get up at night to watch falling stars in the desert. Her grandson, Ben, loved everybody and probably would have become president of the United States, she said. There was never a sweeter girl than her granddaughter, Anna, and "now she's gone," Dorny said.

As for the 7-month-old fetus who was in Michelle Williams' womb when the crash occurred, that child was delivered.