Teen sentenced in Wyo Pk crash deaths

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The Wyoming Park High School graduate who drove drunk, crashed and killed two of his classmate passengers learned he will spend more than two years in prison during an emotional sentencing hearing Monday afternoon.

Takunda Mavima pleaded guilty in August to two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and to an amended count of OWI causing injury.

The 18-year-old was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

== Photos: Tears flow at Mavima sentencing ==

Mavima was driving a car with five other teenagers as passengers when he crashed on the I-196 off-ramp to Chicago Drive in Wyoming during the early morning of May 20.

Krysta Howell, 15, and Timothy See, 17, died from injuries they suffered. Huy Nguyen, Trenton Lambright and Dylan Stanaway were hurt in the wreck. All of the teens are from Wyoming Park High School.

The 30-month sentence came despite pleas for mercy from the relatives of a victim.

"I promised myself one thing that day. I promised I would not get angry," Tim See's sister Lauren See told the court at the sentencing.

The courtroom was packed with friends and family members of the victims and Mavima.

Lauren See stood before the judge with her father Tim See, Sr.

"If Takunda has to spend one second in jail, it would eat me up inside every day," said Lauren See. "Takunda has a family who loves him like we love Timmy, and I couldn't bear to be a part of taking someone else's son and brother away from them."

Since the crash,  Mavima's family has comforted the See family. The teens were especially close. Mavima visited the See home the day after his funeral.

"The only words I heard him say were, 'I loved Timmy so much,'" recalled Lauren See.

Timothy See's father also asked for leniency.

"Takunda's not to blame for this. It was a perfect storm. Everything that happened, happened, and it's not all on Takunda," said See, Sr. "Prison's not a place for that kid. College. He's an honor student. How do you rehabilitate an honor student? He made a mistake and sending him to prison would be another mistake."

Angel Howell, the mother of Krysta Howell, said she hopes the crash that killed her daughter will teach others a lesson about drinking and driving.

"We want to make a difference for our community," she said. "We leave the time and sentencing in God's hands and in you, judge."

She did not ask for leniency.

"I just want to say, I'm so sorry that I took two bright, intelligent wonderful people out of this world," Mavima told the judge. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The sentence by Judge James Redford was at the low end of sentencing guidelines outlined in a plea agreement, which called for at least 29 months and no more than 57 months in prison.

Mavima was slated to attend Grand Valley State University this fall.