Sentence Deferred For Bixby Man In Fatal Crash

A Bixby man will not spend any time in jail for causing a crash that killed a prominent Oklahoma scientist and the victim's family agrees with the decision. 

Friday, July 24th 2009, 6:50 pm

By: News 9


By Dan Bewley, for NEWS 9

TULSA, OK -- A Bixby man will not spend any time in jail for causing a crash that killed a prominent Oklahoma scientist and the victim's family agrees with the decision.  Dylan Parker spoke publicly for the first time on Friday, nearly a year after Jim Lawson died in the crash.

Jim Lawson was the chief geophysicist for the Oklahoma Geological Survey in Leonard. Lawson and his three-year old granddaughter were driving in Bixby last August 3rd when Dylan Parker crashed his SUV into their car. Lawson died immediately; his granddaughter suffered serious injuries but survived. 

Nearly a year later, Parker pleaded no contest to negligent homicide and spoke to Lawson's family for the first time. He told them he thinks about the crash everyday and feels horrible about it.

"I greatly appreciated his comments," said Lawson's daughter, Anna Caton.

What caused Parker to crash into Lawson has never been determined. Court records indicate he was looking down at an object in his lap. Judge Millie Otey said there were hints he was texting but no evidence or proof.   

Judge Otey deferred Parker's sentence for one year, meaning no jail time, but he must talk with teenage drivers about paying attention on the road. Lawson's daughter agreed with the judge's decision.

"Destroying his life by placing him in jail for a year. No one comes out of jail the same person they went in, that's not going to bring my father back. That's not going to make my daughter better. It's not going to help anyone. There's no positive affect from getting revenge on him or having a vengeful heart," Caton said.

Judge Otey told Parker to think of the sentence as a second chance and if he breaks any law within the next year, she won't hesitate to put him in jail.

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