Arizona man sentenced in drunk-driving fatality

ARIZONA -- An Arizona man is serving a sentence of 14 years after killing two Marines returning to their base, in a head-on collision while he was driving drunk nearly a year ago.

According to charging documents from Arizona Superior Court in Mohave County, George Sturzenegger, 67, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12 to two counts of manslaughter, both considered non-dangerous Class 2 felonies.

Sturzenegger had reportedly driven home after being refused service at a bar between Mesquite and Littlefield, Ariz. According to a statement made when he entered the plea, Sturzenegger drove "5.8 miles up the wrong side of the road …" after going up an off-ramp on Interstate 15.

While driving at high speeds in the wrong direction on a four-lane, separated highway, charging documents state that Sturzenegger, in a 1999 Ford F250 pickup, hit a 1998 Saturn driven by Travis Wray Lawrence, 19, head on. Ryan Charles Bush, 19, was a passenger in the car. Both were U.S. Marines returning to their base in 29 Palms, Calif. Ryan Bush was the son of Sandra Bush and Bruce Bush, both of Palmer.

According to the charging documents, Lawrence, in the Saturn, was behind another vehicle and both were in the process of passing a semi-truck at about 10 p.m. The first vehicle passed the truck and quickly pulled over into the right lane, flashing its lights at Sturzenegger, who was quickly approaching in the left lane.

"Lack of skid marks as well as witness statements indicated the driver of the Saturn had no time to respond," charging documents stated. Even if there had been time to respond, according to the documents, that stretch of road had a guardrail on the left and, at the time, there was a truck on the car's right side. Information obtained from the Arizona Department of Public Safety stated that the Saturn was too compacted from the impact of the crash to tell its make or model, or even whether it was a two- or four-door car.

On Sept. 30, a request for a case officer statement was faxed to Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer Dickie Wells. According to the case file, Wells immediately called after receiving the request to say he did not believe probation should be a part of the sentencing agreement.

"I wasn't pleased to see there is a ceiling of 26 years on the sentence, let alone being eligible for probation," Wells said. "… I've been doing this for 34 years and this is one of the nastiest accidents I've ever seen … For a guy to get this drunk and ignore other people who had told him not to drive, my personal feeling is that he should have been charged with some sort of premeditated murder. A woman tried to get the keys away from him, but he wouldn't let her have them and chose to drive."

According to information Wells obtained through investigation of the case, Sturzenegger had been at the Beaver Dam Bar earlier in the evening on Jan. 11, and had been cut off for being intoxicated. Sturzenegger had reportedly arrived at the Beaver Dam Bar after having supper and a few drinks at Hamilton Ranch Lodge. Wells interviewed Beaver Dam bartender Gina Wallace, who refused Sturzenegger further service after one drink, when she noticed he "had heavy eyes and spilled his drink." Wallace, Wells said, later saw Sturzenegger staggering on the way to his truck.

"She tried to get his keys from him, but he refused," the report stated. "He did promise he would not drive and was only going to sleep in his truck. About a half an hour later Ms. Wallace noticed the pickup was gone."

Information in the case file indicates Sturzenegger entered into a plea agreement Sept. 12. As part of the agreement, allegations of the incident being a dangerous offense were dropped.

On Dec. 11, Arizona Superior Court Judge Steve Conn sentenced Sturzenegger to 14 years, with eligibility of parole.

The crash was Sturzenegger's second alcohol-related incident. According to a Utah driving record included in the case file, Sturzenegger was convicted in 1997 of a misdemeanor charge of alcohol-related reckless driving in Salt Lake City, Utah. The original charge was reportedly driving under the influence, but was dropped to the misdemeanor charge. A second misdemeanor charge of turning, stopping or changing lanes without a signal was dismissed, and Sturzenegger was reportedly sentenced to 180 days in jail with 180 suspended, along with a $1,500 fine, $900 of which was suspended.

Bruce Bush, Ryan's father, said he was glad to see the painful event finally brought to a close. The family, he said, had already settled with Sturzenegger in the civil component of the case, an action in which Bush said he felt Sturzenegger acted remorsefully, turning over a portion of his assets to the Bush and Lawrence families. Bush said a portion of the civil case, pursuing the two bars where Sturzenegger was served for liability, is ongoing.

"It's a terrible crime when somebody drinks and drives," Bush said. "Basically, I just want people to know when they drink and drive, what can happen. This guy basically destroyed his own life, and killed two others, too."