'He Was Here Illegally; He Drove Illegally... And He Killed Three Innocent People'
LAVON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A man who was in the U.S. illegally and crashed into a firefighter and two young children, killing all three, was sentenced to two years in prison.
For the grieving widow it's a slap in the face.
Photographs of her husband Peter Hacking, 4-year-old daughter Ellie and two-year-old son Grayson are all Courtney Hacking has to comfort her.
Three very loving people were lost that day," said Courtney Hacking.
That day in March last year, Peter had just picked up the kids and was driving back to their home in Lavon on Highway 78.
Their car was struck head on killing all three.
"He was here in legally he drove illegally he was working illegally and he killed three innocent people no matter how you look at it's still murder," said Hacking.
Hacking delivered that message in a Collin County courtroom after Rosales received the maximum two-year sentence for criminally negligent homicide.
Criminal defense attorney Toby Shook says a longer sentence would require proving an intent to kill.
"If it's just an accident then the state has to prove criminal negligence which is a much higher standard," said Shook.
"It hurts just as much today as the day it happened," said Hacking."
Hacking says she's working with federal lawmakers to make immigration status an aggravating factor that can enhance punishments for deadly crimes.
She's worried that Rosales will sneak back into the US after he's released from jail and deported next year.
"What's he going to do this time? Is it going to hold up a bank because he's in this country right now and all we've ever done a slap him on the wrist," she said.