Victims' Families Push For Tougher Sentence For Man Charged In Purcell Deadly Crash

Sentencing is scheduled this week for a man who prosecutors say killed five people. Prosecutors believe Jordan Powell was drunk when he crashed a truck killing everyone inside.

Tuesday, April 24th 2012, 6:20 pm



Sentencing is scheduled this week for a man who prosecutors say killed five people.

Prosecutors believe Jordan Powell was drunk when he crashed a truck killing everyone inside.

9/25/2010 Related Story: 4 Killed in Accident in South-Central Oklahoma

Powell is scheduled to be sentenced this week, but family members fear he'll get a light sentence.

"Sometimes I think something's been going on the way it's been handled," said Robert Ivey whose son Cody Simmons was one of those killed.

Powell is charged with five counts of first-degree manslaughter. He was driving the pickup that crashed in the one-car accident. On Thursday, he is expected to make a plea and be sentenced by a judge.

Family members of victims say they will be there to ask that he gets the maximum sentence.

"It's agony it just keeps going on and on and on," said Roy Beason , whose daughter Trulie was also killed. 

It's been a year and seven months since Beason lost his daughter.

"When you lose your first born, a daughter I've spent 36 years with, it's more than I can take," Beason said.

Trulie, a mother of three, and four others were killed in an accident along U.S. 77 about three miles south of Purcell. Witnesses say Powell was driving too fast, veered left of the center line, then over-compensated and flew into this ditch.

"He killed five people from being drunk, by going 91 miles and over-correcting. It's all his fault. He needs to pay the price," said Beason.

Powell was the only one who survived the accident. Prosecutors say his blood alcohol level was well over the legal limit.

"His driver's license was never taken from him. They should have pulled it that day," Beason said.

"He hasn't spent one day in jail, not one day," said Rene Ivey, whose son Cody Simmons was also killed in the accident.

Cody's family and Trulie's say they are both frustrated that while they have been mourning their children, Powell has been walking free with no consequences for his actions. A fact they will plead with a judge to change on Thursday.

"I miss her so much, I sure do, the whole family does," said Beason. "But there's nothing we can do but cry out for justice and justice will be if Jordan Powell gets the maximum the law will allow and goes to prison."

According to the prosecutor, Powell could get four years to life for each count.

Powell's attorney says he will argue that all of those five people willingly got into that vehicle that night, and Powell was asked to drive.

"Everybody was in the car at the same time," said Steve Huddleson, Powell's attorney. "Everybody was doing the same thing. So I think that makes this a little bit different."

The prosecutor on the case says Powell was offered a plea deal, but hasn't taken it.

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