Voorhees sentenced
By Rae KrugerCourtney K. Voorhees, 29, of Cottonwood was sentenced Tuesday in Lyon County District Court in Marshall to 41 months, or three years and five months, in prison in the Nov. 12 crash that killed Morgan Leigh Cline, 17, of Kandiyohi and injured Dustin J. Woodworth, 18, of Marshall.
Voorhees said in court that "living with what I've done is impossible to describe."
With good behavior, Voorhees could be released from prison in about two years and three months and would serve the rest of her on sentence unsupervised release.
Voorhees told the court May 5 when she pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular injury she had been drinking on Nov.12 and had driven her car on Minnesota Highway 23 and struck Cline's car, which was parked on the side of the highway near Cottonwood.
Ted and Sheila Bass, the parents of Cline, said in a May story in the Independent they had forgiven Voorhees for her actions on Nov. 12.
Sheila Cline Bass said in court Tuesday she and Voorhees have spoken at various churches to share their story and would to be able to continue sharing that story in prison and when released. But Bass realizes sentencing guidelines
"I would like to see a shorter sentence. I would like to see Courtney get out in six months," Sheila Cline Bass said.
Voorhees is the fifth person in one year to be charged with criminal vehicular homicide or criminal vehicular injury in Lyon County.
Olga Franco, the woman convicted of driving the van the hit the bus in the Feb 19, 2008 Lakeview School bus crash that killed four students and injured more was sentenced to about12 years in prison in October.
David C. Breyfogle, 34, of Taunton, was convicted of criminal vehicular homicide in the Feb. 29, 2008, hit-and-run death of Norma Traen, 72, of Taunton. Breyfogle was sentenced to about seven years in prison.
Cory L. Buchert, 31, of Russell was convicted of criminal vehicular homicide in the September 2007 all-terrain vehicle crash that killed Nichole Rathje of Marshall. Buchert was sentenced to 41 months in prison.
William J. Boe, 26, of Lynd was convicted of criminal vehicular operation in a May 2008 crash that killed James Meiners of Minneota. Boe was sentenced to about five years in prison.
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WhiteKnight68
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07-17-09 6:17 PM
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When oh when will people finally understand there are no such things as "Accidents" just an excuse to avoid responsibility for their actions and choices to drink and drive! It's no accident if driving while impaired is INTENTIONAL!!
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kolabeau
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06-26-09 3:35 PM
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Follow up.. the word that was deleted out with the **** was the first of the deadly sins reffering to desire. I want there to be no room for assuming that I used improper language in my reply.
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kolabeau
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06-26-09 3:32 PM
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hartman75.. my comment was too little to late as far as the court should be concerned. No mixture of State and God I believe is one of the founding ideas of this country. As far as projecting personal shortcomings go.. Trust me when I tell you that I am referring to the shortcommings of Mrs. Bass. I feel for her to no end for the loss she has suffered. But I also KNOW that her*****to be recognized as a great Christian has caused EXTREAM ammounts of undue pain to others involved with this. Pain that will not just go away.
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hartman75
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06-18-09 3:10 PM
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kolabeau, it is NEVER too late to find Jesus! A renewed spirit of faith may have no place in a courtroom but repentance and humility do. As far as your last statement is concerned, you shouldn't project your shortcomings on others. It is shameful, ruralroute, how "celebrities" are treated by our legal system and far too often are allowed to buy a ticket out of jail card. Mr. and Mrs. Bass deserve admiration for both their forgiveness of Ms. Vorhees and their courage to stand before others as they speak of the dangers from drinking and driving.
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kolabeau
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06-18-09 1:38 PM
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I would like to say two things. One faith has no place in the legal system. I dont care what god you found or pray to. You killed someone and hurt countless others in the process, you "finding Jesus" is a bit too late in my opinion. As for the victims family showing great faith? I say HUMPH!! In public we uphold one image and in private another. Signed ANGRY IN WILLMAR
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ruralroute
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06-18-09 11:38 AM
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I have a great deal of admiration of how Ted and Sheila Bass have handled this. It's a great example of Christian faith at work, and I hope Ms. Voorhees truly takes this to heart and learns from this to help others. IT sounds like she is on the path of doing that with the help of the Bass family and others. But, there is also an example of how money influences our justice system: Voorhees gets 41 months (basically three years), while Donte Stallworth, an NFL player for Cleveland, gets 30 DAYS for DUI manslaughter. Stallworth ran over a pedestrian while driving drunk. Of course, the family of the victim in that case received an "undisclosed financial settlement." Translation: Stallworth bought off the victim in exchange for them backing off sentencing guidelines in a plea deal. How messed up is our justice system when one person gets 41 months and the other gets 30 days?
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rona45
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06-17-09 11:53 AM
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When you read the full article and realise all the people who killed a innocent person were experienced drinkers with prior records of alcohol abuse you wonder why it took the loss of a innocent person for them to own up to the fact that they made a mistake and maybe should show some responsibility. Voicing my opinion is hardly as deadly as using my vehicle to kill a human being. Being drunk is being out of control and no one forced any of these people to drink to excess and drive. They did that all by themselves. What is a human life worth?
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rangeral
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06-16-09 6:33 PM
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The taking of a life while driving drunk is a terrible crime and the state of MN does not provide for a stiff enough penalty. I hope she will seek help for her drinking problem and go to AA when she is out of jail, and recommend to friends and family that may have a similar issue that they face up to it. Close to 17,000 poeple die as the result of drinking and driving every year in this country. Susie - you too can help by speaking out against drunk driving. Olga is a seperate case as she wasn't drinking and driving, and when her time has been served she needs to be deported immediately.
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SusieW
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06-16-09 5:11 PM
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Courtney has an opportunity to help other's because of this accident. It takes faith to get through something like this, and a belief greater than oneself. The Bass's have shown that these past 7 months. There are consequences for our actions and Courtney accepted that she has consequences. But through this process she can still help others and herself. Now it is time for others to forgive and move on. If that cannot be done, then do not come on here and slam her as that makes you just as guilty because your mouth is as deadly and any other weapon.
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