Victim’s Kin Voice Anger at Sentence

Jerald Covey, who was drunk when his motorcycle struck and killed a jogger, was sentenced Thursday to a year in County Jail, prompting an angry outcry from the victim’s husband and other relatives.

“The message that the judge gave the community was that, if I get drunk and kill someone, I will be out in six or eight months,” said Emilio Reyes, father of the victim, Stephanie Rossi.

Rossi, a 29-year-old nurse, was killed Nov. 5 while jogging on Sweetwater Road in Bonita. Covey, who negotiated a bargain with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular manslaughter, was riding his motorcycle when he struck Rossi head-on.

At the time of the accident, law enforcement officers said Covey did not have a driver’s license of any kind. But, on Thursday, Covey’s lawyer, public defender Greg S. Maizlish, said that Covey actually had a learner’s permit to operate a motorcycle.

On Thursday, the courtroom was packed with members of the victim’s family, who had written several letters to Superior Court Judge William D. Mudd, encouraging him to impose a harsh sentence on Covey, 30 years old, including the death penalty.

Mudd, sensing the family’s frustration over the plea bargain, explained that he was restricted by law and had to impose a sentence that respected the plea bargain.

“One of the hardest things to do is explain the legal system to surviving members of a family,” Mudd said. “ . . . I agree this was no accident. (But) this case is bigger than your family. That’s why I’m going to follow the plea bargain.”

He sentenced Covey to one year in County Jail, five years probation and stayed a four-year state prison sentence. After serving his jail sentence, Covey could be sent to state prison if he violates the terms of his probation, which include attending meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and revoking all driving privileges.

Mudd scheduled a hearing for Sept. 5, where the issue of restitution will be discussed.

Before imposing sentence, Mudd heard from Tom Rossi, the victim’s husband; Kathy Reyes, a sister, and Emilio Reyes.

“Stephanie made such a difference in this world. . . . She was a nurse. She was a mother,” said Kathy Reyes. “The world is a whole lot poorer because of her absence.”

“This was not an accident,” Tom Rossi said. “. . . Someone made a choice to drink and drive and killed a person who had never drunk a beer in her life.”

Some of the frustration was directed at Deputy Dist. Atty. Jennifer Yackle, who negotiated the plea bargain. Some family members and supporters argued that Covey should have been put on trial, where--if convicted--he could have received a stiffer sentence.

However, Yackle explained that evidentiary problems made the case difficult to prosecute.

It was not made clear by the CHP when a blood-alcohol test was finally given to Covey. They put the time of the test at “two or three hours” after the accident.

In addition to her husband, Rossi is survived by three children, ages 8, 6 and 3.