Drunken driver sentenced to 20 years for killing boy

Kim Smith

Monday, April 3, 2000 | 9:52 a.m.

A Las Vegas woman who killed an 8-year-old boy and seriously injured five members of his family in a drunken driving accident was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday.

Before Tempie Louise MacDonald, said to be in her 40s, was sentenced in District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski's courtroom, she first had to hear the heart-rending statements of six members of the boy's family, some of whom were involved in the October 1999 accident. Packing the courtroom were more than 50 other sobbing family members, many of whom were wearing T-shirts bearing a picture of "Baby Erik" Quintana.

MacDonald, who is confined to a wheelchair as a result of injuries from the crash, sat with her head hung low throughout most of the hearing, her hand covering her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

According to police, MacDonald had a 0.17 blood alcohol content when she ran through a stop sign at 60 to 70 mph at Simmons Street and Lake Mead Boulevard and slammed into a van filled with members of the Quintana family. The van rolled over, throwing most of its occupants out, despite the fact all were wearing seat belts or in car seats.

The family was going to a birthday party for Erik's best friend.

Erik Quintana Jr., 8, suffered two skull fractures, a broken neck and a lacerated spleen. His father, Erik, had two broken ribs and head lacerations; his mother, Leticia, broke her neck, shoulder, pelvis and right wrist.

The boy's brothers were also hurt. George, 2, received several cuts. Patrick, 10, broke both wrists and had facial injuries that left scars. Jacob, 7, sustained a skull fracture and severe road rash on the face that also left scars.

Patrick and Jacob both took the stand to talk about Erik and to show pictures taken of them while they recovered in the hospital.

Erik was always getting into things because he was so curious, but now, Patrick said, "I don't have to take care of him anymore because he's my guardian angel."

MacDonald, who has prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor DUI, pleaded guilty Feb. 15 to two counts of felony DUI.

She is eligible for parole after serving eight years. She was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and more than $17,000 in restitution.

After Leticia Quintana limped slowly to the stand she told her son she was sorry she missed his funeral and rosary, but said she was fighting for her life in the hospital.

She also spoke about her joy of discovering she was pregnant with him and the fact that MacDonald "ruined" her life. As she left the stand, she urged MacDonald to look at her, then showed the scars on her leg and shoulder.

"This scar in here Tempie," she said, gesturing to her heart, "will never, ever go away."

Deputy Public Defender Jordan Savage spoke for MacDonald, saying she understands she can never undo the devastation she caused.

Reading from an excerpt of a letter MacDonald wrote, Savage said MacDonald knows only too well that " 'I'm sorry' are words that you use when you spill someone's coffee or miss an appointment. They are words that are a gross understatement."