Montrose - Daily Press

MONTROSE — Robert Greenwood said Monday he welcomed punishment in the alcohol-fueled crash that killed Toni Carver this past June.

The judge said he was “an accident waiting to happen” and signed off on a stipulated eight-year prison sentence for vehicular homicide-DUI.

Greenwood, 33, rolled his Bronco off of a gravel pile on Forest Service Road 21, ejecting Carver part way out. The Bronco crushed her when it landed on the passenger side, pinning her.

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Carver, 30, had begged Greenwood to stop as he spun “doughnuts” and engaged in similar driving, District Attorney Myrl Serra said after court. She died at the scene, but not immediately.

Greenwood was intoxicated at the time of the crash and, according to facts presented in court, witnesses told of previous instances in which Greenwood drove recklessly. He also had three previous alcohol-related cases; two from Tennessee and one originating in Nucla — acquired shortly before Carver’s death.

“There are quite disturbing facts from this case. ... It’s also eerily familiar,” Serra said, referring to Greenwood’s reported previous conduct while driving with passengers.

Serra called the crash a tragedy for all concerned, including for Greenwood’s family. He blamed it on Greenwood’s “inability or unwillingness” to get a handle on his alcohol problems.

“These traffic matters are tragic,” Serra said earlier. “It’s easy to stand up and pound the podium and say: ‘malice, malice.’ Mr. Greenwood has alcohol (issues) that he can’t or won’t control.”

Public defender Amanda Hammond conceded there wasn’t much to say. “Mr. Greenwood has accepted responsibility since the moment it happened.

He welcomes punishment,” she said. “He is in mourning, too.”

Greenwood told the court how much he regretted taking Carver’s life.

“I wish for her family’s sake... I could do something to bring her back,” he said. “No amount of time you can give me can come close to what I’m already going through. I wish I could have learned sooner.”

Judge Jeff Herron indicated he wished that, too. “You have had warning, after warning, after warning,” he said. “Everyone seemed to know you were an accident waiting to happen. ... It’s just a huge waste.”

Herron spoke of what Carver must’ve gone through during her final moments, and of how Greenwood’s conduct deprived her of seeing her children grow up.

“You brought on your own hurts,” he said. “Nobody else did.”

In addition to the agreed-upon eight years (less 150 days for time served), Greenwood received six months’ jail time on his Nucla case, to run concurrent with his prison sentence. He was ordered to pay $5,800 in restitution.

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