Allegedly drunk, stoned driver charged with vehicular homicide
TACOMA, Wash. -- The man who police say was drunk and stoned when he crashed his car in Purdy early Saturday morning, killing his 9-year-old nephew, has been charged with vehicular homicide and reckless endangerment.
Jayce Randall, 26, pleaded not guilty to both charges in Pierce County Superior Court Tuesday. He was ordered to remain held on $250,000 bail.
Prosecutors say Randall had four drinks and smoked marijuana at a family barbecue in the hour before the crash. He offered to drive his nephew Donovan Best and his 8-year-old niece to their grandparents' home around 1 a.m. as a favor.
The niece told investigators as Randall was driving west on SR-16, he asked if they "were ready," which she says Randall usually would say before speeding. Prosecutors said Randall then sped up as he exited onto Purdy Drive NW.
His niece told investigators she and her brother began crying, and asked their uncle to slow down. Instead, Randall lost control of the car going while going around a curve, eventually striking a ditch and rolling over. Randall and his nephew, neither belted in properly, were ejected from the car, police said. The niece, who was wearing her seat belt, suffered only minor injuries.
Donovan was rushed to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital where he later died from his injuries. Randall was taken to a Tacoma hospital for treatment, then booked into the Pierce County Jail after being released.
Troopers said they found over 120 grams of marijuana outside the car and a breath test found Randall's blood-alcohol level to be 0.194 -- more than double the legal limit.
"Drugs, drinking, and driving lead to senseless tragedies like this," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "Our prayers go out to the victim's surviving 8-year-old sister and her family."
Jayce Randall, 26, pleaded not guilty to both charges in Pierce County Superior Court Tuesday. He was ordered to remain held on $250,000 bail.
Prosecutors say Randall had four drinks and smoked marijuana at a family barbecue in the hour before the crash. He offered to drive his nephew Donovan Best and his 8-year-old niece to their grandparents' home around 1 a.m. as a favor.
The niece told investigators as Randall was driving west on SR-16, he asked if they "were ready," which she says Randall usually would say before speeding. Prosecutors said Randall then sped up as he exited onto Purdy Drive NW.
His niece told investigators she and her brother began crying, and asked their uncle to slow down. Instead, Randall lost control of the car going while going around a curve, eventually striking a ditch and rolling over. Randall and his nephew, neither belted in properly, were ejected from the car, police said. The niece, who was wearing her seat belt, suffered only minor injuries.
Donovan was rushed to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital where he later died from his injuries. Randall was taken to a Tacoma hospital for treatment, then booked into the Pierce County Jail after being released.
Troopers said they found over 120 grams of marijuana outside the car and a breath test found Randall's blood-alcohol level to be 0.194 -- more than double the legal limit.
"Drugs, drinking, and driving lead to senseless tragedies like this," said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "Our prayers go out to the victim's surviving 8-year-old sister and her family."
May he rest in jail, think about his actions and bad choices for every minute he's behind bars. May he seek rest but find none, may he be forgiven yes, but never rest or sleep through the night.
Drunk and Pot together may not kill the one using, but will kill and murder those around them. Last year a cyclist was killed by a drunk diver in Everett, he is now being charged with vehicular homicide. Wake up people...Drink, but don't drive please.
What makes me sad is that Jayce is being villified by people that only know him for his bad decision, and don't seem to realize that good people can still make bad decisions. What kills me is that Josh Brent who made a similar bad choice and it ended in the death of his best friend and teammmate, isn't being attacked like this. There are people out there saying that he made a poor decision and still support him, why is Jayce differnet? Because he's not famous? Jayce is a good guy, he loved Donovan so much and I know that he's broken up inside about this, I personally just wish that people weren't so harsh and quick to attack someone they don't know. If this was a family member of you, would you say to give the dirt bag life? Or that the family is completely worthless? I doubt it. Try and have SOME compassion and realize that Jayce is going to have to live with the fact that his actions killed his nephew, he alone will deal with that for THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
@Jay Way Here's the difference.  Brent's best friend also made a bad choice.  Donovan got in that car because his mother told him it would be okay for him to get in that car.  He might have had a choice, but he trusted his mother and his uncle to keep him safe and to not allow him to do something that would make him not safe.  I really don't understand your thinking on this.  Everyone is attacking what we do know.  Jayce drank a large amount of alcohol, smoked a bunch of pot and thought it was okay to drive, and to drive with children in the car.  Many family members obviously felt the same way or turned away from making waves.  If he was that messed up, I'm sure it was evident to the children, but they trusted the adults in their lives to make the decision for them.  I'm guessing their safety had been treated in this cavalier manner for a very long time and what may not be okay for me or some other responsible adult, has become okay in that family.  I struggle where you have difficulty understanding why this cannot and should not be compared to just your regular bad decision made in life.  There are many people who are good people, but that doesn't make them not have some significant problems like alcohol and drug abuse.  He is going to deal with this for the rest of his life, and should deal with this for the rest of his life, but he also needs to be held accountable by society.
@Jay Way If it was a family member of mine I would expect him to take full responsibility for his choice.  Full responsibility, whatever that means.  And I would hope that the other members of this family would be capable of doing the same thing, instead of trying to do damage control and make a softer, easier way for Jayce.  I'm sure it would be different if he wasn't a family member.
I agree with you 100% on this, I don't think his not guilty plea was his idea though. I can't really comment on that because I'm not there. I'm not related to jayce and I am not trying to make anything softer for him, I'm simply trying to bring forth a difference of opinion since people are only seeing one side. That's all. Imagine if this was someone you cared about, would people be so quick to attack, or as harsh with their words? That's all I'm saying...
@Jay Way He has a public defender now.  Now we wait and see.
@Jay Way I have HUGE experience in the legal field and with how it works in courts.  He pled guilty for maybe two reasons and say two, because as of yesterday no attorney of record was listed for him on the public access link.  1.  Plea not guilty so you can make a deal.  2.  Court wouldn't take a guilty plea because he was unrepresented and a possible 3.  which would be the right thing for him to do because he has no priors/if he has no priors, plead guilty and ask for leniency and get whatever the court judicates as fair and equitable under the circumstances.  It is good to care about Jayce, but it is not good to try and soften things for him or let him off with a slap.  He killed someone.  He didn't just act a fool in a club one night and then have to say darn, my bad.  I completely understand where you are coming from.  It is hard to watch a good friend or even a family member have to take their lumps they have coming but in the long run, it is what is the best, especially for Jayce.  If he is living the lifestyle it appears he is living, maybe this is a wake up call that will save HIM from the grave as well.  And anyone else in this family that may have been dodging bullets for a number of years themselves.  I hope you understand where I'm coming from with this.
@Jay Way At least he has a life to live, unlike the nephew he killed.Â
I wouldn't say it's much of a life knowing what he did.
@Jay Way And this is what needs to change, either with tougher sentencing or with our communities getting on board that this behavior is reprehensible and kills innocent people, probably both. So many people think nothing of getting behind the wheel in this condition, and their families or friends look the other way. It is not okay to allow a friend or loved one to believe they are superman behind the wheel. While I certainly believe he is horrified, distraught and inconsolable that he caused the death of his nephew, I dont think that that in itself should lighten his burden. This IS his burden to carry, it is a shame he did not believe it could happen to him before this senseless death occurred.
@Jay Way It isn't a life at stake, it's a life snuffed out.  How is that moot in your eyes?  Not trying to pick a fight, just trying to understand your thinking.  I make a bad decision myself now and then.  I ate an apple fritter at 9:00 last night after going out for Mexican food.  That is a bad decision, but it isn't going to get anyone killed.  There are bad decisions and then there are the kind that Jayce made.  Apples and oranges. Â
@Jay Way Yes, he made a terrible decision.  But if he is this great person you make him out to be, he needs to take responsibility for that bad decision.  He got someone DEAD.  He didn't just do an oooops, my bad kind of thing.  I think many more people would feel more compassion for him if he would step up and take responsibility for what he did.  It doesn't matter how many other people get behind the wheel drunk and get away with it Jay Way.  What matters is that Jayce did and he didn't get away with it and killed someone in the process.  He needs to be held accountable and it would be very nice if he would step up and do that on his own and not go through all the legal crap to make a deal and make it easier on himself.
I'm done with talking to you, you're only seeing one side of this and I understand why. I was just voicing a difference of opinion but I am not going to continue any longer. I appreciate your opinion and understand 100% where you're coming from, it's just too bad it's hard for you to do the same for me.
@Jay Way He is not the victim here. Quit trying to make him one. The only victims here are those two children.
No argument, @susabelle. There's a large amount of people who drink, who have gotten behind the wheel of a car to drive.
@the wa mama, I have to disagree with this. People who really give a damn about others can still make terrible decisions. I know for damn sure that I'm a good person, but I know that I make some crap decisons sometimes. Granted, none that have ever put anyones life at stake but that is a moot point in my eyes. I understand what you're saying, all I'm asking is just to show an ounce of compassion. That's it.
@The WA Mama @Jay Way and I'd wager it certainly wasnt the first time he got behind the wheel in that condition. That is just selfish.
@Jay Way That was his choice. He CHOSE to drink and drive. He CHOSE to risk the lives of those kids. He CHOSE to risk the lives of every single person on the road. I don't care how "nice" he was. People who really give a damn about others don't do what he did.Â
This makes me sad and extremely angry. Give this dirt bag life, and give the children's mother a few years too.
What a completely worthless family and mother. Take the little girl from her, she doesn't deserve to have kids.
Why did the boys mother allow the uncle to drive him to the home of the grandparents??/ She is more guilty than the uncle.
@EILEENHere is her page, unfortunately she doesn't appear to be the type to own up to her bad decisions.
https://www.facebook.com/alicia.randall.90"Prosecutors say Randall had four drinks and smoked marijuana at a family barbecue in the hour before the crash."  4 drinks in an hour??? + some weed  That is a LOT to drink in an hour, esp. while smoking pot.  Some serious substance abuse problems here. Throw the book at the creep + mandatory AA!
@Smartypants Hopefully, there is a missing comma in there and he'd smoked weed within an hour of driving, PLUS the four drinks throughout the afternoon, which were obviously more than four anyway with a BAC that high and his body weight.Â
Not that the outcome is any different, sadly, but if he pounded four tequila drinks in one hour then immediately tried to leave, I'm not sure if he could even put the car in gear.Â
@MargeGunderson @Smartypants His uncle said in another interview that he drank a whole bottle of tequila...... that must have been 4 pretty big drinks.
AA will not do a bit of good ...........he should be locked up as guilty as a killer with a gun...
@EILEENÂ Not really Eileen. While drunk/high driving is definitely stupid, he didn't intend on killing someone and committing an "evil" crime. In this case, it was a tragic "accident" therefore the punishment should fit the crime... maybe 5-10 years at most. Definitely not a life sentence though, save that for the true murderers.
he was at a family barbeque - and not one member of the family thought it was a bad idea that the two kids go off with him after he was sitting there drinking and smoking pot all night? Â great job.Â
The mother of these children knew the uncle had been drinking yet she asked him to drive the kids to their grandparents. Â She should be thrown in jail too! Â Great role model she is. Â I hope she regrets her decision for the rest of her life. Â I could not live knowing I sent my son in a car with an impaired driver and he died.
@FunfactsYou mean Alicia Randall (https://www.facebook.com/alicia.randall.90) ...doubtful, here is a recent post, "I just realized ive got 8yrs clean off meth today! Whooo Hooo. 9/2/04 is my clean date" yet she has pictures of her drinking alcohol...being clean and sober means being free of any drugs/alcohol. I hope CPS does a thorough investigation of the family and home for the sake of Alicia's surviving daughter.
"...he asked if they "were ready," which she says Randall usually would say before speeding."
So apparently that wasn't even the first time he sped with the kids in the car. How much do you want to bet it wasn't the first time he was drunk, stoned, and speeding with the kids in the car?
@PlentyOfTime I hope the Randall family et al reads these comments. But they're probably in their defensive bubble of how good and 'typical' their family is...I mean, Jayce is OBVIOUSLY your run-of-the-mill 26 year old.Â
When will people learn not to drink and drive?
@Tattooed_Angel2 When people start getting real punishment for doing it. As far as I'm concerned, when a person chooses to drink and drive, they have turned their vehicle into a potential deadly weapon -- the punishment needs to fit this type of crime.
@Tattooed_Angel2Â ...when guaranteed stiff penalties occur
@Smartypants @Tattooed_Angel2 I would more inclined to believe it will be when it is socially reprehensible to do so in ALL of our families, not just the ones that already get it.
Plead NOT GUILTY!? So he doesn't think he did anything wrong? What happened to accountability, Jesus Christ! And driving a 9 year old and a 8 year old at 1:00 AM, yes AM, is a FAVOR to them??? It should have been without a second thought and his DUTY to care for the minors, especially since they're his relatives. And what parent let's their 8 & 9 year old stay up that late, regardless of the function? No respectable parent would allow that. Kids need structure, and with structure come bed times regardless of weekend/weekday. Shame on the whole family.
@ur 1 pea short of a pod Has to say not guilty or there's no dealing that can happen ur.
@Nanamamabjm @ur 1 pea short of a pod That's exactly the point, if he were truly remorseful he'd say so with no deal present.Â
Plea deal: "I'll accept responsibility, but only in exchange for not being held accountable for my actions."
How about, "Guilty as charged, Your Honor. My terrible, selfish actions caused the death of my beloved nephew and could easily have killed my beloved niece. I ask for mercy that I do not deserve, and pledge to follow any and all treatment recommended by this court, and when I get out will commit myself to public education about driving drunk and/or stoned."
@ur 1 pea short of a pod @MargeGunderson @Nanamamabjm Again, no argument from me on that.  I was simply stating why he plead not guilty.  Happens all the time that way.  If they plead not guilty, there is a chance of a deal, but also a chance that a really savvy defense attorney could get him off completely on some kind of a technicality.  He had no attorney of record yesterday.  The court has to give him all the benefits of a good defense so no choice, not guilty plea.  He can always change his mind. Â
@MargeGunderson @Nanamamabjm @ur 1 pea short of a pod No argument on that.  But it is not going to happen that way.  I would guess he had no choice but to enter a not guilty plea because he is not represented by counsel yet.  The court probably won't except a guilty plea if he is unrepresented.  It would be the right thing for him to do and would probably in his best interests to do so.  Plea guilty and maybe the court could be more lenient on the sentencing guidelines imposed. That would be the right thing to do.
@MargeGunderson @Nanamamabjm I agree with Marge 100%. Take responsibility. If I had been the one that caused my nephew's death because of a foolish and irresponsible action, then I'd take full responsibility. No questions asked. This only further enforces the fact that he does not take ANY accountability...again, SHAME ON HIM and SHAME on his family for defending him (per prior articles).Â
Where are the family members that think he SHOULD be locked up? Trust me, if there were any, KOMO would be all over that - have you seen what makes news on here? Christmas lights that say "ditto" with an arrow to a neighbor's house...they're hurting for a story.
Donovan Best Memorial fund is now open at Tapco Credit Union!
@LeAnne M Kohl-Merritt Sorry, I am not donating a dime to this.Â
@LeAnne M Kohl-Merritt Cashing in already, eh?Â
@LeAnne M Kohl-Merritt I would want to know who is going to have control of the funds, before contributing to it.
@justmyopinion @LeAnne M Kohl-Merritt And what the money is going for, specifically that it not be used to aid in Uncle Jayce's defense fund.Â
I have been drunk twice in my life and both times I had the ability to tell my wife to drive home. So why do people drive drunk, is it laziness, machismo or stupidity? Why would you allow your child to get into a car with someone who has been drinking? Are people getting dumber or am I getting older and grouchier. At this point I only have sympathy for young Donovan and his sister. Apparently none of the adults present at the party had any sense whatsoever.
@Alert Eagle Probably a little bit of both... people are getting dumber and you are probably a bit more grouchy about that.Â
OH yeah Peope who smoke pot don't get in the wrecks! WRONG! i hope this pot head smoking SOB gets twenty years in wala wala!
@Exiled_Patriot Again, same thing I told Eileen. While it is definitely stupid and terrible to drive drunk/high, he did not INTEND on killing someone. This was a good person who made a stupid mistake that ended in a tragic situation. Since he does not have an evil heart with intentions to hurt, there should be a lighter punishment. I say 5 years tops. He'll emotionally pay dearly for the rest of his life, I think that's good enough. Save the long sentences, etc... for these idiot killers and shooters, not for a good person that just made a stupid mistake. Five years, thorough apology to the family and call it good- again, he'll hurt like no other in his heart holding the guilt that his stupidity killed someone for the rest of his life. I think that is punishment enough.
@keepthepeace28 @Exiled_Patriot This is a guy who dodged a bullet for a very long time and when he lost, he didn't kill himself but an innocent child.  Good person or not, he made a choice that killed someone.  A drunk behind the wheel is just as much of a murderer as a person who pulls a gun.  Just a different choice of weapon. Â
@keepthepeace28 @Exiled_Patriot He CHOSE to drink and drive with those kids in that car. He CHOSE to put the lives of innocent people (not just in the car, but other drivers as well) at risk. Who gives him the right to risk the lives of my friends and family? Screw him.  How is that any different that taking a gun and shooting randomly all over the place. If you hit someone "accidently", is it just a stupid mistake?Â
Seriously, do not condone his behavior. He murdered his nephew. Period.
@keepthepeace28 @Exiled_Patriot So how long should that kid be in the grave? Tell us when that boy should be aloud to come out? he never will and that person who cared more of himself should spend the rest of his life in a cage. I will cry for the boy. Won't shed a tear for the loser an waste of flesh that person is 25 years would not even be enough. Sorry I had a family member get killed by a person so drunk they did not even know they killed that person. they got 18 month. I would love to see any one that kills a person spend the amount of time behind bars equal to what was left of the persons life they took. for that poor boy 75 years would be a good start.
@Exiled_Patriot What is "wala wala," a special island for "peope" who smoke "pot heads" ? Kettle (of booze) calling the pothead black, by any chance?
@MargeGunderson @Exiled_Patriot I think he meant Walla Walla, WA There is a prison there.
@MargeGunderson @Susabelle @Exiled_Patriot LOL! Sorry, should have known... I do have to agree, as soon as I saw the comment about him thinking that moron smoked 4oz before driving I about choked. Pure drivel...
@Susabelle @MargeGunderson @Exiled_Patriot I got that; I'm pointing out his appalling ignorance as he screeches incoherently about subjects he's obviously clueless about.Â
One man smoked four ounces of weed in one evening? Good Lord, even Jayce's entire drunk, stoned family couldn't toast that much bud in a full weekend!Â
@Exiled_Patriot  They call it liquid courage for a reason. Weed doesn't make people aggressive drivers. But combine large amounts of both, and it's a disaster.Â