Vanderman sentenced to 12 months for fatal collision
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Bruce Vanderman of Madison has been sentenced to 12 months in the Lyon County Jail for his role in the death of Emporian Jerry L. Williams.
Williams, who was 52, died from injuries received April 2007, when Vanderman’s vehicle collided head-on with Williams’s pickup truck.
Vanderman allegedly was attempting to pass a semi-tractor trailer when the accident occurred on a county road southwest of Emporia.
He first was charged with two felonies, involuntary manslaughter and aggravated battery. He pleaded no contest in January to amended charges of vehicular homicide and battery, both misdemeanors.
District Judge Jeffry J. Larson sentenced Vanderman to 12 months for vehicular homicide and six months for battery, with sentences to run concurrently. After serving six months, Vanderman will be allowed eight hours of work release daily.
During the sentencing in Lyon County District Court Friday afternoon, victim’s impact statements were given by the victim’s mother, Marie Williams; his mother-in-law, Doris Danford; his four brothers; his older daughter, Lisa; and his widow, Glenda.
Through their testimony, they created a verbal snapshot of Jerry Williams and the effect his death had on their family.
Williams had been a farmer, carpenter, horseman and, for more than 30 years, an employee at Flint Hills Feed Lot. Co-workers said that he never raised his voice, his mother said, and that he was patient.
“In fact, I believe his favorite word was ‘outstanding,’ because he used it all the time,” Scott Williams said.
Marie Williams said that she and Jerry Williams’s other daughter, Ann, were at her home, making plans for a 25th anniversary celebration for Jerry and Glenda, when the call came about the accident. Williams had been en route to feed his horses.
Lisa Williams recounted a story Glenda Williams had told her about Jerry Williams’ sitting with a young woman who was trapped in a vehicle in an accident on a gravel road. Law enforcement told him to go back to his vehicle, but he refused.
“My dad decided he would sit and talk with her until she was freed,” she said.
The young woman died before emergency personnel could extricate her, and Glenda Williams had asked him why he had stayed.
“His response was it was the right thing to do, and because that was something he wanted people to do if it was one of his friends,” Lisa Williams said.
Jerry Williams survived for a time in the hospital; Steve Williams talked about calling to make arrangements to donate his brother’s organs.
The family asked for Vanderman to receive the maximum sentence, run consecutively rather than concurrently.
“There’s been no remorse showing, no acceptance of guilt, no ‘I’m sorry,’” Jay Williams said. “In my opinion, if there was any shown here today, it would be for a lower sentence.”
Vanderman later turned to speak directly to the family in a voice that often was inaudible.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “... I hope God blesses your family in every way possible and ... takes away the pain.”
He also apologized to his son, Josh, who was injured in the accident, and to the taxpayers of Lyon County.
“One thing that’s been bugging me about this case,” the judge said. “Tell me what were you thinking when you made the decision to go around that semi?... At the very least, you had made the decision that you wanted to pass.”
Vanderman told the judge that, contrary to law enforcement reports, dust did not obscure his vision. Instead, he said, he was concerned that the semi in front of him might overturn. The wind seemed to have shifted it severely to the right side of the road, leaving him exposed at least partially in the wrong lane of traffic.
“It surprised me so much that I unintentionally remained in the passing lane,” Vanderman said. “I didn’t want to do that. I’m guilty of not paying attention.”
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