Man pleads not guilty in crash that killed pastor
PACIFIC, Wash. -- A young woman who lost her fiance in a deadly crash just two weeks before their wedding spent Tuesday in court to face the man accused of killing him.
The woman's fiance, Sam Stephens, was a youth pastor in Bonney Lake.
Joseph McNeil, the man charged in Stephens' death, pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide on Tuesday.
According to charging documents, McNeil told police he only had a couple of beers in the hours before the crash. But investigators say he was drunk when he crossed the center line and hit Stephens' car, head on, early Monday morning .
The 24-year-old pastor was pronounced dead at the scene.
His fiance, Emily Nolte, was present in court on Tuesday to face McNeil and to grieve the loss of the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
"He was just an amazing person," Nolte said. "I'm sad I'm not going to get to build that future with him. I'm really disappointed. It's just heartbreaking."
Stephens' father, Mike Stephens, also watched as McNeil entered a not guilty plea.
"Well, I just thought, 'There's the guy that killed my boy,"' said the grief-stricken father. "That's what I thought."
But the family wants to focus on Sam Stephens' legacy. Some 250 people gathered Monday night at East Point Church to remember all that the youth pastor meant.
Church members said forgiveness will come for McNeil, but they believe he should pay for what he did.
Nolte, meantime, is struggling to understand why the love of her life was taken just days before their special day.
"I only know that God has good things in store for the family, and I know I'll get through it. But I don't know what he was chosen to go home two weeks before we were getting married," she said.
A memorial for Sam Stephens is set for Friday at 5 p.m. at Church for All Nations in Tacoma.
The woman's fiance, Sam Stephens, was a youth pastor in Bonney Lake.
Joseph McNeil, the man charged in Stephens' death, pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide on Tuesday.
According to charging documents, McNeil told police he only had a couple of beers in the hours before the crash. But investigators say he was drunk when he crossed the center line and hit Stephens' car, head on, early Monday morning .
The 24-year-old pastor was pronounced dead at the scene.
His fiance, Emily Nolte, was present in court on Tuesday to face McNeil and to grieve the loss of the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
"He was just an amazing person," Nolte said. "I'm sad I'm not going to get to build that future with him. I'm really disappointed. It's just heartbreaking."
Stephens' father, Mike Stephens, also watched as McNeil entered a not guilty plea.
"Well, I just thought, 'There's the guy that killed my boy,"' said the grief-stricken father. "That's what I thought."
But the family wants to focus on Sam Stephens' legacy. Some 250 people gathered Monday night at East Point Church to remember all that the youth pastor meant.
Church members said forgiveness will come for McNeil, but they believe he should pay for what he did.
Nolte, meantime, is struggling to understand why the love of her life was taken just days before their special day.
"I only know that God has good things in store for the family, and I know I'll get through it. But I don't know what he was chosen to go home two weeks before we were getting married," she said.
A memorial for Sam Stephens is set for Friday at 5 p.m. at Church for All Nations in Tacoma.