Colden woman sentenced to prison in triple fatal crash

The mothers of an 18-year-old and a 20-year-old who were killed were too distraught to return to work, costing them their jobs and ultimately their homes.

The mother of the deceased 19-year-old has described the impact on the three siblings her eldest daughter left behind.

An Erie County judge on Monday sentenced the driver who caused the deaths, Jayla L. Mueller, to 1 to 4 years in prison for what she called “the tragically reckless and hasty act of a young mind.”

Judge Susan Eagan also granted Mueller youthful offender status, which limited his potential sentence.

Mueller, 19, of Colden, was driving a 2018 Dodge sedan at 11:22 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2023, when she lost control on a ramp from John James Audubon Parkway to Millersport Highway, causing her car to leave the road and roll over, according to police and prosecutors.

Recovered data showed the car was traveling at 108 mph five seconds before the crash, according to a spokeswoman for the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.

Mueller’s cousin, his girlfriend and their friend — three of the four passengers — were ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene. They were Dakota Eldridge, 20, of Cheektowaga, Isabella French, 19, of Buffalo, and Azathiel Pabon, 18, of Buffalo.

Mueller and a fourth passenger were injured and taken by ambulance to hospital.

The driver and surviving passenger were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. There is no evidence that the three ejected and killed passengers, who were sitting in the back, were wearing seat belts, the prosecutor’s spokeswoman said.

Mueller pleaded guilty in April to three counts of second-degree manslaughter and one count of reckless driving, according to the district attorney’s office.

Mueller’s actions were reckless but not intentional, said the judge, who also revoked Mueller’s driver’s license.

Although the law allows Mueller to be released before serving her full four-year sentence, Eagan said she intends to let her serve her full prison term.

Judge Eagan delivered his sentence in a courtroom packed with about 50 people, most of them family and friends of the deceased. The emotional proceedings were moved to a smaller courtroom to accommodate the crowd.

As family members gave their statements about the impact of the trauma, loud sobs echoed.

Eldridge and French were dating and French was 3 months pregnant when she died, said Tania Eldridge, Dakota’s half-sister, reading a statement from Dakota’s mother, Kristina Kessel.

Kessel’s sister, Patricia Kessel, is Mueller’s mother. Kristina Kessel filed a lawsuit against Patricia Kessel and Mueller in May.

Known to family and friends as Bella, Isabella French was like a second mother in her home, Johanna French said of her daughter.

Her mother often asked her eldest daughter for advice on things like what kind of gifts her siblings would like to receive, Johanna French said.

Her daughter was fiery and sweet, “fearless in all things,” her mother said.

“Our grief will continue long after Jayla has served hers,” she said.

Michelle Czachorowski, the mother of surviving passenger Kye Czachorowski, described the phone call she received from her son shortly after the crash.

Through a witness’s phone, her son informed her that there had been an accident. She asked if everyone was okay.

“No, Mom, I think my friends are dead,” she remembers hearing her son say.

Michel Colondres, Pabon’s aunt, said she would always remember her nephew as a quiet little boy with always sad, drooping eyes.

Colondres arranged his funeral, chose his coffin and his clothes. She did his hair for his funeral – she said she put it up in a messy bun like he used to wear it.

She cried so much, she said.

“I loved him like he was my own,” she said. “It still feels like it was a day ago.”

Ms Mueller, who addressed the court in a 16-minute statement, told the judge she was driving on an unfamiliar road, saw a police car and was told to “go, go, go”.

She said she made an impulsive and irresponsible decision.

Ms. Mueller, who wiped away tears and turned twice to face those gathered in the gallery during her speech, said she was “sorry from the bottom of my heart.”

Following the sentencing, Isabella’s mother and father, Damon, released a written statement.

“Nothing can change what happened or make up for what we lost, but we are glad it is over,” the statement read. “We will always miss Bella terribly and hope the children use this accident as a lesson in safe driving.”