'His Ashes Are Here': Widow Testifies At Sentencings Of Robbers Whose Getaway Car Killed Her Husband
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4) -- Christopher Avery was making a mid-afternoon trek to the grocery store last December when another car ran a red light and 'T-boned' his. Avery was killed.
His widow stood in court Friday as two of the three convicted felons inside the other car were sentenced to prison.
Kathyrn Severn Avery spoke of the trauma brought upon the first responders who watched Christopher pass away while they worked on his broken body, and also the team of people that "will never be able to unhear my wailing as they answered my question, 'Is he dead?'"
Then she spoke of her own suffering. She pointed to a photo of custom-made wooden artwork that now holds her husband's remains.
"Now instead of enjoying the rest of our lives together, his ashes are here."
William Mays, Donna Smith and Logan Doutrich were racing away from the Ulta Beauty Salon they had robbed minutes earlier on Dec. 4, 2020. Doutrich was driving the red Mitsubishi Gallant.
At the intersection of 1st Avenue and Harlan Street, their car struck Christopher Avery's silver Honda Civic.
In court Friday, Kathryn said the force of the collision fractured Christopher's femur, pelvis, ribs, spine and skull.
"My husband's death shows what can and did happen to an innocent person performing an ordinary task who was unfortunate enough to cross the path of the three defendants that day," she said, reading from a statement in court.
Doutrich was sentenced to eight years imprisonment in the Colorado Department of Corrections on single count of Vehicular Homicide-DUI. He had no prior criminal record in Colorado.
That is not the case with Mays. He was sentenced Friday to six years in prison to a single count of felony theft. But he has 13 more court cases to account for in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties. All are thefts and robberies that occurred in the last three years.
Kathryn Avery was especially critical of Mays, whom she said ran from the crash scene.
"Even more disturbing is the total lack of remorse and callous disregard for others exhibited by the defendant," she said in court. "During the very first hearing in this case, with his mask lowered, he blew a kiss to his partner in crime, Donna Smith who burst into tears. In his pre-sentencing interview, he acknowledged neither my husband's death nor his role in the events that led to it. I believe that if he had not been caught fleeing the accident that killed Chris, the defendant would continue committing crimes and victimizing people."
Donna Smith was sentenced to six years in prison in August. She still faces charges in four other cases.
"The sentences handed down on Friday will not bring Chris back or lessen the collective suffering of those who loved him," Avery told CBS4 over the weekend. "Nor are they a reflection of the value of Chris's life. But I am satisfied with the outcome and my faith in the judicial system remains strong."