Video captures car crash that killed 2 boys
TACOMA, Wash. - Never-before-seen video of a deadly car crash that killed two young boys was shown Thursday in a Tacoma courtroom.
The boy's mother, 41-year-old Jayme Davis of Bonney Lake, is on trial for her sons' deaths, charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.
Police say the video is their best evidence against her - but her lawyer says just the opposite.
The video was captured by speed cameras, and they show what happened that tragic night in January as the mother and her sons crossed over the center divider.
Police say it was just after 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 when the three were headed east on Bay Street after a monster truck rally at the Tacoma Dome. The mother entered a curve, lost control and crossed over the concrete median, causing an oncoming SUV to slam into the car's passenger side, troopers said.
In the video, you see the two sets of headlights coming towards you at the top of the screen, and the car with the mom and kids is on the right.
All of a sudden it crosses over - and is hit by two cars that were going in the opposite direction. The collision killed 11-year-old Jordan Davis and his 8-year-old brother Jared.
Jayme Davis was arrested for vehicular homicide. She admitted she'd had a couple of beers that night, and police say her blood alcohol content was .07 - just under the legal limit of .08.
Tim Davis, the boys' dad, says, "I mean, she drank, and she drove, and she crashed, and she killed the boys." He is the boys' custodial parent, divorced from Jayme.
The lead investigator testified he believes she rounded the curve at river road going too fast, lost control and crossed the center divider into oncoming traffic.
"She started fish-tailing ever so slightly, and I think she over-corrected for that," says Tacoma police officer Roger Lawrence.
But the defense says a closer look at the video shows it is possible that the car next to Jayme Davis actually cut her off, forcing her into oncoming traffic.
That's what Jayme Davis claims - and that's what a witness told police. But that other driver never stopped.
Her ex-husband isn't convinced.
"She looks for this mystery person and stuff. There was no mystery person," Tim Davis says.
He says it was hard for him to watch the video of the crash - hard to know this is how his sons were severely injured.
Both were rushed to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital with critical injuries. Jordan died hours after arriving at the hospital. Jared underwent emergency surgery, but died the following day, according to investigators.
The trial and video brought back Tim Davis' memory of holding his dying son in the hospital.
"I rocked Jared to sleep that day. He was in my arms. ... He closed his eyes and stopped," he says.
The defense rested Thursday without calling any witnesses, and Jayme Davis didn't testify in her own defense.
Closing arguments are set for Monday. If convicted, Jayme faces up to four years in prison.
The boy's mother, 41-year-old Jayme Davis of Bonney Lake, is on trial for her sons' deaths, charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.
Police say the video is their best evidence against her - but her lawyer says just the opposite.
The video was captured by speed cameras, and they show what happened that tragic night in January as the mother and her sons crossed over the center divider.
Police say it was just after 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 when the three were headed east on Bay Street after a monster truck rally at the Tacoma Dome. The mother entered a curve, lost control and crossed over the concrete median, causing an oncoming SUV to slam into the car's passenger side, troopers said.
In the video, you see the two sets of headlights coming towards you at the top of the screen, and the car with the mom and kids is on the right.
All of a sudden it crosses over - and is hit by two cars that were going in the opposite direction. The collision killed 11-year-old Jordan Davis and his 8-year-old brother Jared.
Jayme Davis was arrested for vehicular homicide. She admitted she'd had a couple of beers that night, and police say her blood alcohol content was .07 - just under the legal limit of .08.
Tim Davis, the boys' dad, says, "I mean, she drank, and she drove, and she crashed, and she killed the boys." He is the boys' custodial parent, divorced from Jayme.
The lead investigator testified he believes she rounded the curve at river road going too fast, lost control and crossed the center divider into oncoming traffic.
"She started fish-tailing ever so slightly, and I think she over-corrected for that," says Tacoma police officer Roger Lawrence.
But the defense says a closer look at the video shows it is possible that the car next to Jayme Davis actually cut her off, forcing her into oncoming traffic.
That's what Jayme Davis claims - and that's what a witness told police. But that other driver never stopped.
Her ex-husband isn't convinced.
"She looks for this mystery person and stuff. There was no mystery person," Tim Davis says.
He says it was hard for him to watch the video of the crash - hard to know this is how his sons were severely injured.
Both were rushed to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital with critical injuries. Jordan died hours after arriving at the hospital. Jared underwent emergency surgery, but died the following day, according to investigators.
The trial and video brought back Tim Davis' memory of holding his dying son in the hospital.
"I rocked Jared to sleep that day. He was in my arms. ... He closed his eyes and stopped," he says.
The defense rested Thursday without calling any witnesses, and Jayme Davis didn't testify in her own defense.
Closing arguments are set for Monday. If convicted, Jayme faces up to four years in prison.
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