TACOMA, Wash. — Christian Dressel, the 23-year-old man whom police say ran over a stranger in a Spanaway drive-through in February, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Dressel appeared in court today for his sentencing along with the family of the man he has been convicted of killing, David Brown.
The families of both Brown and Dressel were present for the sentencing. Brown’s wife shared a few words, followed by Dressel himself.
“I still feel numb, hollow inside from losing the love of my life,” Sherri Brown, David Brown’s wife said.
Dressel apologized for his actions on Wednesday in court before he was sentenced.
“There’s no day that goes by that I don’t think about what I did. I understand my actions made a lot of people sad and mad. That was not my intention,” Dressel said.
Dressel pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this year for deliberately running over and killing 68-year-old David Brown in February.
Prosecutors said the killing was a case of mistaken identity. Investigators said Dressel mistook Brown’s truck for another vehicle he saw near his girlfriend’s home and followed it to the Jack in the Box on Mountain Highway East.
Court documents state Dressel rear-ended the truck Brown was a passenger in while in the drive-through.
When Brown got out, presumably to check for damage, Dressel ran over Brown at least three times.
“We were married for 48 years and were already looking forward to our wedding anniversary. One of the hardest parts is never hearing his voice, hearing him say, ‘I love you,’” Sherri Brown said.
When Judge Clarence Henderson Jr. sentenced Dressel to 20 years in prison, you could hear relief from David Brown’s family.
Dressel’s family went through a rush of emotions. KIRO 7 learned Dressel has two young children.