The man who killed a Tempe teen when he plowed into the 17-year-old boy’s car in a drunken driving accident was sentenced to nine years in prison, said the Maricopa County Attorney’s officials.
Raymond Kohan, 35, was found guilty of manslaughter and endangerment on July 1, 2008 for the May 2006 crash that killed 17-year-old Sean Andujar, a Marcos de Niza High School student.
Kohan was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison and three years of supervised probation. Police reports said an hour after the collision Kohan’s blood alcohol level was found to be .155, almost twice the legal limit.
“This conviction and sentence won’t undo the tragedy that claimed such a young life, but at least it will ensure that Raymond Kohan will be off the streets for a long time,” said County Attorney Andrew Thomas.
Records show that before the fatal crash, Kohan had been convicted of DUI twice before - in 2001 and 2002. Court records also revealed that Kohan had previous arrests on suspicion of drug-related offenses, theft, probation violation and driving with a suspended license.
The tragic case was fueled by controversy in August 2008 when Gilbert Mayor Steve Berman penned a letter to the Maricopa County Superior Court judge pleading for leniency on behalf of Kohan.
“In case you feel a prison sentence is warranted, I plead that you grant Raymond leniency on his sentencing,” said a letter written by Berman to Judge Michael W. Kemp on Aug. 19, 2008.
Berman stated in the letter that he has known “Raymond and his family socially and professionally” for several years, however Berman refused to comment further on his relationship to Kohan.
Berman wrote an apology to the community weeks after pleading for leniency, saying he had made a mistake.
oh what do you know…. another one????hmmm
Horray ! One for the Good Guys and a big slap across the head to His Majesty, Mayor Berman.
This loser MURDERED this poor kid by blowing through a red light at an estimated 50 MPH (in a 35 MPH zone) while driving dead drunk on a Sunday morning. I remember these details well, as it happened less than a half-mile from my home. One can only hope his new cellmate, Bubba, outweighs him by 75 pounds, and likes to share with his friends.
He only got 9 years? Sean’s family got a life sentence…
This shows how a small mistake can destory a man’s whole life. The brunt of the mistake has to be shared by the person itself and other persons also.
i agree with queuez,the sean’s famly go life sentence,hence he hould be given a sentence equallent to that only not less then it