One crash, three families and endless pain: The impact of driving impaired

SEATTLE — Seventeen minutes into Riley Danard’s 18th birthday, he and his best friend, Khalea Thoeuk, drove to Alki Beach to celebrate. The two searched for places to move into together with other friends, excited to leave their parents’ home and embark on adulthood. 

They never got that chance.

As the two drove in a Honda Civic westbound on the West Seattle Bridge, a white pickup drove in the wrong direction, barreling toward them. Witnesses say the truck sped between 70-90 miles per hour in the 45-mile-per-hour zone, leading to closing speeds of over 100 miles per hour between the two vehicles. The truck and the car crashed and killed the two best friends before first responders arrived.

The man who drove the truck, later identified as Delfino Lopez-Morales was sentenced Friday to more than 12 years in prison, the maximum allowed by the law. Judge Angela Kaake handed down the verdict after a three-hour emotional hearing that centered on the pain that driving under the influence could cause.

Three families, including Morales’, testified in court about the loss and pain the crash caused to countless people in the Snohomish County High community and West Seattle.

“The final moment I shared with my brother occurred when he picked me up from kickboxing. He greeted me with a huge smile. We spent time listening to music and he told me it was the best birthday he ever had,” one family member said.

For that birthday to be Riley’s last has created a void in the lives of teenagers who knew Khalea and Riley from childhood.

The crash happened on March 22, 2023. Toxicology reports showed twice the legal limit of alcohol and substantial amounts of marijuana in Morales’ blood.

Several people saw Morales driving into street signs and parked cars, speeding and driving erratically before the crash.

A family friend, Trisha Valverde, read a statement to the court from one of the people who tried to report Morales, saying “I went to bed that night proud for doing what I was taught was the right thing to do: calling in a suspected drunk driver. The news the next day instantly brought me to tears. I knew it was the white truck that I had called in.”

Nearly 600 days after the crash, the raw emotions were clear among Riley and Khalea’s family and friends. Dozens of them packed the courtroom, few with a dry eye during the hearing.

“There will never be a day where I don’t pass a window and think I saw you walking besides me,” Lillian Ching, a friend of both men, said. “Khalea and Riley [were] robbed of their young adulthood, life, college, completing their education or the chance to try new things, hug their mothers, their fathers, see their siblings. How shameful it is that the man responsible for their passing [is here] today?”

Morales’ attorney says his client has shown remorse since he began representing him. Morales didn’t want a plea deal, instead pleading to the charges as filed.

“I wished my life would have perished and not their lives,” Morales said through tears to Judge Kaake Friday evening.

Morales’ family showed sympathy and apologized for the harm Morales caused. But they also advocated for a lesser sentence, saying Morales never had a chance. He was born with cerebral palsy, brought into the United States when he was three years old, and was under the care of his sister who was just a few years older than him.

“I’m so sorry for all of the loss Delfino has caused, I just can’t imagine.” Victor Lopez, Delfino’s nephew said in court.

“It’s just a really difficult thing and my family wasn’t strong enough to support [Delfino] in the way that he needed and I’m a product of that as well.” Lopez continued.

Through tears, Morales’ sister, Dolores, described how their father smuggled them to the U.S. She hadn’t known Morales to be a heavy drinker, or use marijuana. But reconsidered what her brother was going through and how she could have helped him more after the result of the crash.

“I wish I could have helped my brother more,” Dolores said through tears. “There’s nothing we could say or do that will repair the damage. I just wish that people could be more aware and pay attention to their family members who might be struggling and they won’t speak up.”

Morales’ attorney argued had he just been pulled over, and hadn’t hit anyone, he’d likely be facing a singular day in prison.

The more painful reality though, was too much for Judge Kaake to ignore, saying a bad choice does not make a bad person, but driving while so heavily impaired is a choice that can be avoided.

She sentenced him to a maximum of 136 months for two counts of vehicular homicide while driving impaired and 364 days for one count of reckless driving. He will spend about 12 years behind bars.

“To use your attorney’s words, your devastatingly poor choices had catastrophic consequences for Riley and Khalea and all of those who love them,” Judge Kaake said.

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