KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly three years after the crash that killed 18-year-old Jaelyn Collins, the driver who hit and killed her was sentenced to eight years in prison.
"It's just so very hard for me to still believe Jaelyn is gone," said Tami Oliver, Jaelyn's mom. "She would turn 21 in a couple of months."
Jaelyn had just been to prom and graduated from high school when she died. Oliver said Jaelyn was looking forward to getting married and becoming a mom. Authorities said Roger Barnhart was drunk and texting at the time of the crash.
"He rolled up onto the passenger side and crushed it. That, to me, is so hard to fathom," Oliver said. "She was so precious and beautiful and just did not deserve this."
Barnhart was convicted of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, reckless endangerment, DUI and other charges related to using a cell phone while driving and driving on the wrong side of the road. Oliver said she was hoping Barnhart would make a plea agreement, so she could avoid hearing the gruesome details of the crash during the trial. He didn't.
After the trial, Judge Steven Sword sentenced Barnhart to eight years in prison. Tennessee prison records show he would be eligible for parole in June 2026.
"I will go down there and fight to keep him in there for as long as possible because he took her life and he should pay," Oliver said.
Now that the legal process is over, Oliver said she can start to process her memories of Jaelyn. She encourages people to avoid drinking and driving, so no other family has to deal with a loss like hers.