Drunk driver gets 13 years

ANCHORAGE -- An Anchorage man received a 13-year prison sentence Thursday for killing an 11-year-old Palmer boy and the boy's cousin while he was driving drunk near Portage last year.

Kenneth Kramer and his 15-year-old cousin, Kevin Blake, of Tatitlek, died instantly and their grandparents were seriously injured when Robert Richardson, 36, slammed his red Ford F150 truck into the family's sedan on July 12, 2000.

The boys and their grandparents, David and Patsy Glasen, were on their way to Whittier for a fishing trip when the crash occurred.

Richardson had a blood-alcohol level at the time that was more than one and a half times the legal limit of .10. (On Sept. 1 of this year, the state's legal standard for alcohol intoxication changed to .08.)

"We're really disgusted. We feel like he should have gotten a lot more time," said Kenneth's mother, Patty Kramer, a day after Richardson's sentencing by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Michael Wolverton.

While she said Richardson appeared to be very remorseful, the family had hoped Richardson would receive a minimum of 20 years.

Kramer said her father-in-law is still recovering from the long-term effects of the accident, and both Glasens continue to suffer emotionally.

During Thursday's hearing, Kramer told Richardson of the loss she's felt since the crash and her child's death.

"I understand that you have children of your own. Imagine having someone take one of them from you. That is what you have done to me," Kramer said. "I hope that every day of your life when you look at your own children that you will be thinking of my son, Kenneth, and my nephew, Kevin."

In March, Richardson pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and first-degree assault in a plea agreement with the Anchorage District Attorney's office. He was originally charged with drunken driving, two counts of manslaughter, and first-degree assault.

A tow-truck driver pulled Richardson's truck out of a Portage-area lake just minutes before the crash. The tow-truck driver and a Forest Service worker reportedly told Richardson he was too drunk to drive.

Alaska State Troopers said they never received a report that Richardson was driving drunk.

Richardson reportedly drove 1 1-2 miles toward the Seward Highway after being towed out of the lake. That is when he crossed into the opposite lane and slammed into the small Ford Aspire Blake was driving.

The impact tore off the driver's door, killing both boys immediately. Kenneth's body was found about 20 feet from the demolished car.

"It's been really hard, especially around the holidays not having him here," Kramer said. "When the first day of school came around it was difficult. He'd be in middle school now."

Kyle, Kramer's 9-year-old son, has changed since his brother's death, and doesn't like to talk about the accident.

Kenneth attended Cottonwood Creek Elementary School in Wasilla from kindergarten until he completed the fifth grade. Kramer told the Frontiersman last year that her son was looking forward to attending Palmer Jr. Middle School in September so he could meet more friends in Palmer.

With the tragedy has come community support.

At the time of the accident, Kenneth was attending day care during summer break at the Boys and Girls Club in Palmer. Kramer said the organization held a memorial in Kenneth's honor on the anniversary of his death.

Kenneth and Kevin's family has been involved in a bumper sticker campaign to keep alive the memory of the boys and send out a warning to people who choose to drink and drive.

The bumper stickers read: "In memory of these two boys…. Please don't drink and drive."

"I would say to people, just don't do it. You'll destroy a family's life," Kramer said. "It's so much easier to have a friend drive you home."