Man sentenced to 14 years in prison for crash that killed Phoenix Fire dispatcher
Feb 26, 2016, 5:02 PM
PHOENIX — The wrong-way driver in a fatal crash on a Phoenix freeway last year that left a Phoenix Fire dispatcher dead has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Stephen Brant Martin, 40, was sentenced Friday by Maricopa County Superior Court officials for the head-on collision that killed Megan Lange and injured two others.
Megan Lange and family.
In addition to the sentence, he was also ordered to serve three years of supervised probation following his prison term.
Martin plead guilty last November to one count of second-degree murder and three counts of endangerment. At the time of the crash, he had a blood-alcohol level of .313, nearly four times the legal limit.
Martin’s SUV entered Interstate 17 at Glendale Avenue, heading south in northbound lanes, and drove for about a mile. An officer tried to stop Martin, nearly getting hit. Instead, Martin’s SUV swerved and hit the two other cars.
Martin told police he was “too drunk to drive” but had to get home because his girlfriend was being sexually assaulted.
Officers estimated Martin was traveling at 50-55 MPH. A female passenger, Kimberly Gumo, said Martin was driving about 40-45 MPH.
Lange is survived by her husband, Patrick, and her two sons. A GoFundMe account has been set up to assist her family.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
