BARNSDALL, Okla. — The mother of a teenager killed in a drunk driving crash in Barnsdall told FOX23 she’s upset after learning the driver arrested is being offered a plea deal.
FOX23 told you about the death of Tyson Townley in May. His girlfriend was seriously injured in the crash and his girlfriend’s father is the one Oklahoma Highway Patrol said was driving under the influence and flipped the car they were all in.
His mother, Stacey Harris, said that as soon as she heard the plea deal, she immediately objected to it.
She wants to make sure the driver goes to prison for a long time and misses out on things with his family as her family is now missing time with Townley.
“Tyson was amazing, he always put everyone else first. He was always doing for other people,” Harris said.
Townley was riding back to his girlfriend’s 16th birthday party with his girlfriend and her father, Weston Lowe, in the driver’s seat, according to OHP.
However, they would never make it back to the party. Townley died at the scene and his girlfriend was critically injured.
“It was a horrific scene, the car had rolled so many times. Jasmine was still on the ground, beside the car, she had been pinned under it. We got there right after it happened,” Harris said.
Lowe faces charges of first-degree manslaughter and child endangerment by driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident with fatality.
Harris said this plea deal is pleading guilty to all 3 charges for a 20-year sentence with judicial review at five years. She said this is not enough.
“It feels like a slap on the wrist, like they’re just trying to get it off their desk. It just feels like they’re trying to close another case and move on. It doesn’t feel like they’re trying to do what is in the best interest of the parties that were involved,” Harris said.
She said that justice needs to be served for Lowe’s daughter too.
“Justice needs to be for both of them and I don’t feel like the DA’s office is doing that. I feel like they’re offering a slap on the wrist. He’s a repeat offender, this is not his first DUI,” Harris said.
For her, justice would look different.
“Justice would be 12 to 15 years behind bars. Because he shouldn’t be able to see his kids through school. I don’t get to see Tyson through that and I know it can’t be a life for a life kind of thing, but he did murder my son. He almost killed his own kid and there needs to be consequences to those actions,” Harris said.
FOX23 talked to Osage County District Attorney Mike Fisher who confirmed there is a plea deal, but would not confirm the details of what’s being offered since it’s being presented to Lowe’s defense attorney on Friday.
Fisher said if Lowe does not accept a plea deal, he’ll be in court on Sept. 12 for a preliminary hearing.