Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Causing Crash that Killed Unborn Baby

(CHANNEL 3000) A Rock County judge sentenced Brandon Russell to 18 years in prison Thursday for his role in anApril 2015 crash that killed an unborn baby girl and injured five others.

Family members were in the courtroom to support both Russell and victim Jameson Sughroue.

Sughroue gave very powerful testimony explaining how the crash affected her, her fiancé, her son, Russell’s children and other people not involved in the crash. She was 34 weeks pregnant at the time of the crash.

Sughroue said she and her fiancé, Richmond Beckard, had planned to name the girl Reese. However, when Sughroue found out she had lost the baby, she said she asked Beckard if she could name her daughter Kathryn June, Kathryn after her grandmother and June after the month she was supposed to be born.

Sughroue brought a box filled with all the things she had of baby Kathryn June’s. Sughroue pulled out a pink tutu she had gotten as a baby shower present three weeks before the crash, a pink blanket and a teddy bear.

Sughroue, as well as members of her family, cried during her testimony and throughout the hearing.

Russell also spoke and apologized. He said he wished he could take it back and never meant for any of it to happen.

Russell’s family members were crying while he was reading his statement.

Russell’s mother, Kandie Petrie, said she felt for both her son and Sughroue.

“I’m devastated for him. His kids are going to be grown before he comes home,” she said. “I mean, I understand, and I feel for the victim, and I have her in my prayers every night. And I know Brandon is going to have to live with it. I live with it, and I wasn’t in the car. I just wish the best for them and I hope the best for Brandon.”

After about two and a half hours, Judge Michael Haakenson sentenced Russell to 18 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision.

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