EVERETT — He took one life and then, while awaiting trial, endangered others.
That fact deeply troubled Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Richard Okrent.
The judge on Monday went well above the agreed plea recommendation of the deputy prosecutor and defense attorney in sentencing Rodrique C. Johnstone to more than eight years in prison for vehicular homicide.
After the crash that killed his passenger on April 11, 2013, Johnstone, 33, was convicted of two counts of reckless driving involving separate incidents.
“Your history, particularly two driving offenses you got after this…, quite frankly astounds me,” Okrent told the defendant.
Johnstone tried to outrun Lake Stevens police and crashed into a house, killing his passenger. Nicholas Peterson, 26, died at the scene.
Prosecutors argued that Johnston was high on methamphetamine at the time of the crash. Police reported that he was driving a stolen Honda when he led an officer on a short, high-speed pursuit. Johnston lost control of the car, hit a ditch and smashed into a house. No one in the house was hurt, but one man was thrown from the couch inside.
Johnston has more than two dozen misdemeanor convictions, the majority of which are driving offenses.
Peterson’s family spoke about their devastation shortly before sentencing.
“No words can describe my pain,” his grandmother, Delanie Peterson, said.
His mother, Natalie Rager, held up for the judge to see a photo of her son smiling.
“It has been 550 days since anybody has seen his smile,” she said.
She also lamented that her grandson will never get to know his father and urged the judge to consider a stiff sentence.
Defense attorney Jennifer Rancourt said Johnstone is taking responsibility for his actions.
Okrent’s sentence was for eight years and three months. That’s 15 months more than the prosecutor and defense attorney’s agreed recommendation.
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com
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