STARKVILLE — The night began like any other. A group of friends were hanging out at Rick”s Cafe American in Starkville and agreed to meet again later for a cruise around the back roads of southern Oktibbeha County.
Ryan Crick, who at the time was working as a state game warden, was borrowing his buddy”s Jeep Wrangler and decided to drive, even though he had been drinking alcohol. Crick”s friends, Matthew Gaskin, 23, and Jessica Burks, 27, agreed to go with him, along with one of Burks” friends, Heather McMillian, now 27.
In the wee hours of the morning on Jan. 25, 2008, a drunken Crick sped north on Oktoc Road back toward Starkville with the music blaring and his three passengers laughing and singing. But then the Jeep veered off the east side of the road, struck an embankment and went airborne. The vehicle overturned and eventually came to a rest on its side.
Burks and Gaskin were thrown from the Jeep and died at the scene. Crick called a friend to pick him up from a nearby gravel road, then called 911. McMillian, who recently married and now goes by Heather McMillian-Trice, was left pinned under the Jeep. She awoke in the hospital two weeks after the crash, unable to recall how she got there.
Fast forward more than 18 months and Crick sat in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court Monday for sentencing on three counts of aggravated DUI and one count of leaving the scene of an accident with injuries or death. After two hours of emotional testimony by family members on both sides, Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Crick to a combined 60 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections system. Crick pleaded guilty to the four counts in July, but Kitchens didn”t issue his sentences until Monday.
Crick received 20 years for each of the aggravated DUI counts concerning Burks and Gaskin, 15 years for the aggravated DUI count concerning McMillian, and 5 years for leaving the scene of the accident. Kitchens also sentenced Crick to pay McMillian $187,000 in restitution for her hospital bills, plus $10,000 to the families of both Burks and Gaskin.
Crick faced up to 25 years for each aggravated DUI count and 5 years for fleeing the scene. The man who picked up Crick near the accident scene, Eric Gregory, of Louisville, still faces one count of accessory after the fact.
After Crick was sentenced Monday, Burks” mother, Maria Ball, was still in tears as she hugged family and friends who showed up in support. She described the 60-year sentence as “partial justice” because it still won”t bring back her daughter. Steve Gaskin, father of victim Matthew Gaskin, felt the same way.
McMillian-Trice, who underwent months of physical therapy for the injuries she sustained in the wreck, said she was very pleased with Crick”s sentence. She also was glad Judge Kitchens read the letters and petition from members of the Gaskin, Burks and McMillian families.
“I do feel that justice was served,” McMillian-Trice said. “I feel like everybody had their voice heard. I”m very pleased with the judge”s decision.”
McMillian-Trice had taken the witness stand earlier in the day to testify against Crick, whom she said she met for the first time on the night of the accident. She stared at Crick while he sat at the defense table until he finally looked up and met her eyes.
“What kind of person looks at that (accident scene) and just walks away?” McMillian-Trice asked.
“I”m not mad at you for wrecking,” she said to Crick. “I put myself in your Jeep, Jessica put herself in your Jeep and Matthew put himself in your Jeep. And I believe they would all say the same thing. What they would be irritated with is you leaving. Just leaving.”
“I mean, anything is better than nothing,” she added. “We got nothing.”
Steve Gaskin also took the stand earlier in the day and said his son would have stayed to help, not fled the scene, if he had been driving the night of the accident.
“If the situation was reversed, my son would have stayed and tried to take care of the victims,” Gaskin said. “(Crick) turned his back and walked away from three people in need.”
But the most emotional testimony came from Ball, who said she still struggles to keep her composure when she looks at her daughter”s two children, who will be raised without a mother.
“Judge, I appeal to you on behalf of my motherless grandchildren to give Ryan Crick the maximum of 80 years,” Ball said through tears.
Judge Kitchens gave Crick a chance to speak on his own behalf before he issued the sentence. Crick said he left the scene because he was scared, his adrenaline was “rushing” and he didn”t know what to do.
“If I could take this night back, I would,” Crick said. “If I could take any of their places, I would.”
“If I thought for one minute I could have done anything to help somebody, I wouldn”t have left,” he later added.
Kitchens said he has thought about the case and prayed in the three weeks since Crick pleaded guilty to the four counts in Clay County Circuit Court. He appeared torn when he finally announced Crick”s sentence.
“The worst thing that I”ve seen, Mr. Crick, is you left,” Kitchens said. “You left. You had all been drinking. I know that. But you left.”
Guilty plea in statutory rape case
In other court business, a 20-year-old Starkville man pleaded guilty to one count of statutory rape and is set to be sentenced later this week.
Lakorian T. Stewart faces a minimum of 20 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections system with the possibility of a life term, Judge Kitchens said. He is scheduled to be sentenced Friday.
The charges stem from an incident on May 27, 2008, when Stewart and the then 13-year-old victim ran into each other on an undisclosed street. Stewart, who had just turned 18 on May 26, 2008, then took the girl to a nearby apartment and they engaged in consensual sex, District Attorney Forest Allgood said. They had known each other for “a few days,” Stewart said Monday, though Allgood said the victim told him they had known each other for three months.
“Are you guilty of this crime?” Kitchens asked Stewart.
“Yes, sir,” he replied.
Along with the prison sentence, Stewart also faces a fine of up to $10,000.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
