By DEBRA HAIGHT
NILES – A Granger man who caused a February crash that killed a Galien woman on U.S. 12 has been sentenced to prison.
Jeffrey Norman, 51, of Granger, pleaded no contest to reckless driving causing death and was sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court to a prison term of 23 months to 15 years.
He must pay $798 in fines and costs and over $12,400 in restitution to Woodrick’s family for the cost of her funeral and other expenses. He has credit for 152 days already served.
The accident occurred Feb. 11 on U.S. 12 east of Galien in Bertrand Township. According to testimony at a June preliminary hearing, Norman was driving west on the highway and crossed the center line and hit LuAnne Woodrick head on. The accident occurred shortly before 7 a.m. that day near Sage Road.
Woodrick, 55, was a Galien resident and a clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Indiana University at South Bend at the time of her death. Testimony at the preliminary hearing for Norman indicated that she was conscious right after the crash but died on route to the hospital from blunt force trauma.
Woodrick’s family and friends crowded the courtroom Monday morning and listened as her daughter, Jillian Castello, spoke before the sentencing. Castello spoke about the last day she spent with her mother a few days before the crash as they baked cookies and talked about Castello’s young infant son.
“We talked about nursing and motherhood and old recipes,” Castello said. “She said I needed more rest and I was able to take a long nap that day as she watched my son. When I left, she hugged me and told me I was a good mom. She was a woman who taught me always to be kind.”
“She was one of a kind and her absence in our lives is heartbreaking for all of us. She was kind, funny, classy, a true professional and someone who always put others ahead of herself. She loved her family, she loved being a nurse but she lived to be a teacher.”
Assistant Prosecutor Cortney O’Malley noted that no punishment meted out to Norman can bring Woodrick back. “Their loss is something I can’t attempt to understand,” she said. “What we can do now is insure that he doesn’t do it again. Maybe he hadn’t intended to, but he took the life of another individual.”
“She (Woodrick) was unaware and unsuspecting that day. She was doing everything right, she was going the right speed and was in the right lane. She tried to correct and was not able to do that. I don’t think Mr. Norman understands or appreciates the gravity of his actions.”
O’Malley noted that there were indications at the time of the accident that Norman had been using controlled substances and was distracted with his pants around his ankles and possibly viewing images on his phone.
For his part, Norman apologized to the Woodrick family. “I understand their loss and their feelings toward me,” he said. “What I did was not intentional. I think about it every day and will remember what I did for the rest of my life. I know nothing I can say will make them feel different. I hope God can forgive me.”
Berrien County Trial Judge Angela Pasula called the accident “a great tragedy” caused by Norman’s driving in a reckless manner and said she will recommend that Norman never be able to get a driver’s license again.
“This is a tragedy of unspeakable proportions,” Pasula said. “She was deeply loved and respected by her family, friends and students. She enriched the lives of all those who knew her.”
Pasula said that while Norman didn’t intend to kill Woodrick, other actions he took that day such as driving after not having slept all night, being on controlled substances and being distracted were intentional and avoidable.
“The court is incapable of making the victim and the family whole,” she said. “This is kind of life a robbery, you robbed her of her life and her family of her presence. You took something much more valuable than property. You stole her love and companionship from her family, the loss is immeasurable.”
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