Judge Jack McKenna sentenced Joey Thao,26, to a composite sentence of nine years with three years 362 days suspended and five years supervised probation for causing the death of Cindy Vang, 22, with criminal negligence and causing physical injury to his infant son T.T., 9 months, during a motor vehicle crash at Bragaw Street and 7th Avenue.
On Dec. 28, 2019, at 4:04 a.m., Thao crashed into the side of a snow dump truck, instantly killing the rear passenger, Cindy Vang, and injuring their infant son. It appeared that neither Vang nor the car seat carrying T.T. were restrained. The driver of the truck was not injured. Thao admitted to consuming six beers and smoking marijuana before driving. His blood alcohol level was .158 g/100 mL, and it contained 1.7 ng/mL of Delta 9 THC. Traffic camera footage confirmed that Thao ran a red light at Bragaw Street and 7th Avenue. Thao did not take any evasive action or attempt to brake to avoid the crash.
Judge McKenna imposed five years of incarceration for the criminally negligent homicide and three years with three years suspended for assault in the third degree for injuring T.T., and 365 days with 362 days suspended for driving under the influence. Judge McKenna also found an aggravator that Thao’s conduct on the criminally negligent homicide was among the most serious conduct within the definition of the offense because he acted recklessly when he drove under the influence. Judge McKenna also found an aggravator on the assault in the third-degree conviction because T.T. was a vulnerable victim due to his extreme youth, being only 9 months old at the time of the offense. Judge McKenna ran the active and suspended time consecutively.
