Sentencing postponed for woman involved in fatal DUI wreck

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Apr 10, 2008 by Steve Fry

By Steve Fry

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Sentencing has been postponed to May 2 for a woman convicted of driving drunk and killing another motorist in a head-on collision.

Jessica L. Dennon, 27, of Topeka, had been scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday by Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Conklin, but it was postponed because Conklin was handling a jury trial.

Justin D. Fujibayashi, 25, of Valley Falls, was injured in the Dec. 7, 2006, crash and died three days later.

Dennon on Friday filed a motion seeking to reduce her sentence to a "nonprison sentence with a significant community service obligation" and sanction time or house arrest, defense attorney Donald Hoffman said in the motion.

Hoffman said Dennon is "extremely remorseful," has strong family support, has a 10-year-old daughter and is undergoing therapy.

In seeking the sentencing departure, Hoffman noted that Lisa Dick, 43, who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol, was sentenced on March 27 to 60 days in jail.

Dick made the pleas in the traffic death of Gary L. Denton, 67, of St. Marys.

Denton was killed May 13, 2006, in a head-on wreck about 21/2 miles west of Rossville.

Dennon pleaded no contest Jan. 9 to involuntary manslaughter in the commission of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong direction on a one-way road. She could face a minimum prison sentence of 38 to 43 months.

Fujibayashi, a Washburn University student driving home from classes, was injured when his car and Dennon's Jeep Liberty collided head-on near the K-4 highway and Interstate 70 interchange.

Dennon was westbound in the eastbound lanes of K-4 when she struck Fujibayashi's car as he was driving eastbound on K-4.

Steve Fry can be reached

at (785) 295-1206

or steve.fry@cjonline com.