(WBAY) – A Waupaca County woman who struck and killed an 18-year-old man will spend his birthday in jail, as well as the anniversary of the day she hit Dylan and every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, for the next 10 years.
A judge sentenced 40-year-old Heather Schmidt on Wednesday for the death of Dylan Thorne three years ago.
Prosecutors say Schmidt’s blood-alcohol level measured twice the legal limit after she hit Thorne’s car, killing the recent Iola-Scandinavia graduate. She pleaded no contest to homicide while driving under the influence, which could have carried up to 25 years in prison.
The judge said Schmidt needs to suffer punishment, and sentenced her to one year in jail followed by 10 years on probation, followed by the next nine birthdays, anniversaries and Christmases.
After her release from jail, Schmidt will report back to the jail every February 10 — Thorne’s birthday — and July 19 — the date of the crash. She won’t be allowed work-release privileges on those dates.
