May 23, 2014 XXXXX In Memory of Devin J. Julius and Mitchell J. Vance XXXXX XXXXXXXX, WI ##### The Honorable Judge XXXXX Rock County Courthouse 51 South Main Street Janesville, WI 53546 RE: 2014CF000766 Dear Judge XXXXX: In this time of tragedy, there are not enough words available to explain the overpowering feelings of sadness, exhaustion, anger, depression, fear, loneliness, and extreme pain that the friends and family of Devin J. Julius and Mitchell J. Vance have experienced. If I were to list all of the emotions felt since the moment these two men were killed, it would take up several pages. With this letter, I ask for the opportunity to briefly explain to you what really happened on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014. It must be said that Devin and Mitch were not the only ones who lost their lives that day. Each and every one of those affected has lost a piece of themselves that they will never get back. Families lost a brother, a son, a nephew, a child. Others lost their confidant, their riding buddy, their pool-playing, karaoke-singing best friend. The community lost the ability to trust; would every motorcycle ride from this day forward end in tragedy? What about those who are left to ride with the reminder of the day their best friend was taken away? Devin was an amazing young man who was new to the area, building a life to support himself and build on his dreams. His love for two wheels and the open road was shared with Mitch and the rest of the riders that day, if only for a brief time. Devin and Mitch were very kind hearted men who truly left a positive impact on everyone that they met. Friends of Mitch played darts and sang karaoke with him just days before the accident, no one knowing that it would be the last time they would ever see their ‘baritone angel’ again. These men met by fate that day and we can only hope and pray that Devin and Mitch are together now, continuing their passion of riding. The community is left shattered and torn, trying to repair the broken pieces. Devin and Mitch are gone forever, taken away from us through a tragic accident. What is not an accident is leaving two young men to die alone in the middle of the road. Ignoring the social media and the news spreading photos and information of the vehicle you were driving that was involved in a fatal hit-and-run is not an accident; it was a choice. While the community banded together and reached out, Sambath Pal not only ignored their cries for help, he made plans to escape without accepting any responsibility at all. Sambath Pal had to be turned in by his own father. The community would like to take this time to recognize his father for being courageous enough to make such a difficult decision and I regret that it ever had to come down to that. He lost a son that day as well and the community has taken a step back to realize that. We are sorry for the hardship that has been placed on your family but we would also like to thank you, Saroeun Tigh. This letter does not adequately describe the lives of the two young men taken away from us that day. It would not be fair to reduce their memories to a single letter. It cannot be done. However, it can be described how the community has come together in this tragic time. Thousands of people who knew Devin and Mitch came forward to offer each other support and created social media groups to remember each man as they were. Videos and photos were shared, decals and bracelets made for support, memorials cherished, loved ones laughed and cried and laughed some more. It is truly amazing to be a part of a community who is strong enough to not only speak out and remember the fallen but to give support to each other, even if they were complete strangers before the accident. We have all come together because we were touched by the lives of these two amazing men. On behalf of everyone involved with this letter, I’d like to express our concerns regarding the sentencing of Sambath Pal. These feelings are not fueled by anger and revenge but by hope and justice. We as a community want to feel safe. We want awareness regarding our loved motorcyclists on the road. We want to believe that there is good to come out of this. This is not just about losing our loved ones; it is something much larger than that. Motorcycle awareness is something that needs to continue to be projected throughout the state. We want to believe that our loved ones did not die in vain. This community will continue to stand together and make the effort to create a safe motorcycle-riding environment. Every person in this community has friends and/or family that ride and it is very disheartening to know that one day, they too, could be taken away by an irresponsible driver. We will always remember Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014. Please take this into consideration when sentencing Sambath Pal, thank you. Respectfully yours, Nicole L. Cola, et al.: In Loving Memory of Devin J. Julius and Mitchell J. Vance: Aaron Schwartz Aaron White Abby Rich Adam Lukasavage Adam Philibeck Adam Rohan Alex Gretschmann Alex Mathison Alex Reinhard Alex Swanson Alex Van Boxtel Alex Vosters Alex Wunderlich Alexa Jacobs Aliskwet Ellis Alison Peterson Allan Kaplan Amanda Burris-Okane Amanda Dabson Amanda Danielson Amanda Gretschmann Amanda Miller Amanda Thompson Amanda Vest Andrea Highting Andrew Miller Andrew W. Dabson Andy Gelsinger Angelica Stanislawski Angie Julius Anita Middleton Anthony Christopher Ashley Festi Ashley Hankemeier Ashley Ott Ashley Vocelka Aubrey Green Becca Martin Becky Danielson Bekah Wilbert Ben Miller Ben Vander Logt Ben Vosters Benjamin Ramic Bernadette Etherington Bethany Roloff Bill Hokenstad Blake Jansen Bob Burt Bob Soderberg Bobbi Bedat-Smith Brady Bunjovac Brandon Johns Brandon Roskom Bree Hornes Brenda Vance Pavlovich Brett Pullen Brian Hanson Brian Lambert Brian Sommers Briana Garvey Bridget Bowers Brittany Condon Brittany Janes Brookelynn LaVeen Brooklyn Tews Bubba Quillman Carissa VanAsten Carla Starks Carly Stevenson Carolyn Sturm Casey Sommers Cassidy Ascherl Cathy Dinnes Cathy Tegt Ceaira Weber Chandler Evers Cher Hesseling Cher Hesseling Cheri Miller Chloe Arnould Chris Koerner Cindy Williams Cody Otto Cole Krueger Collin Floyd Colten Devin Roes Courtney Vidmar Courtney Weis Craig Hokenstad Crystal Romero Dakota Everson Dakota Fox Dale Schultz Dan Rittenhouse Dana McHugg Dani Schultz Danielle Delvis Danielle Leigh Sherman Danielle Newton Darlene Schuett David Klusmeyer Dawn VanZandt Dean A. Julius Debbie Dahlman Deborah Sommerhalder Denny Koerner Donna Kay Williams Donyell Koller Dwain Moore Ed Lacoun Eric Heintz Eric Kruckenberg Eric Norby Evan VanStralen Gabrielle Hanson Garth Sayler Gary Sommerhalder Gerald Coenen Gina Eichstaedt Gordon De Witt Haley Stewart Hallie Bruss Hannah Klitzke Heather Anne Tracy Heather Jelinek Heather Kraus Heather Rowley Heather Schwarzbauer Heidi Moore Holly McMenamy Hansel Hunter Maulick Jacob Bevers Jake Hanson Jarik Nemeth Jason Schiernbeck Jason Severson Jason Thompson Jeff Gricar Jen Roes Jena Gilson Jenna Lee Jennifer Enger Jennifer Gordon Roes Jennifer Longsine Jennifer Lopez Jenny Koerner Jenny VanderHeiden Jeremy Petska Jerimiah Lambert Jerry Danielson Jessica Bjork Jessica Holty Jessica Julius Jessica Roeder Jim Ashbeck Jim Julius Jim McArthur Jim McCluskey Jodi Koerner Julius Jodi Liebhauser-De Keyser Jody Martin Jody Preston Little Joe Roes John Friedrichs John Heegeman John Julius John Murphy John Newton Josh Fox Josh Zentner Julie Sanders-Sommers Justin Kurey Justin Randerson Kaitlynn McCluskey Kaleb Shafer Kari Koerner Karri Kruckenberg Kathi Phelps Kathy Julius Katie Zentner Kayla Lewin Keegan Hooyman Kelley Pope Kellie Clatworthy Kelly Doro and Family Kelly Sterken Armstrong Ken Kuhn Ken Madison Kevin Pullen Kim Coenen Foate Kim Gretschmann Kimberlee Mack Kirstin Buchanan Kody Pettigrew Korissa Huff Kris Lyle Krissy Vosters Krystal Torres Kurt Krause Laura McCluskey Laurel Jacobs Lauren Kienbaum Lauren Minott Leah Murphy Leslie Sawyer Lexi Julius Lexus Sommers Lisa Danen Frey Lisa Severson Lisa St. Pierre-Emery Lorelei Bolinski Lori Peterson Lyn Hokenstad Mandy Bradley Mandy Jacobson Mandy Kalson Maria Griffin Mark Bolig Mark Foate Marsha Glatz Mary Coenen Matt Julius Matthew White Maureen Lavery Megan Meyer Megan Trickel Melissa Beaudin Melissa Beson Melissa Thompson Mia Fromandi Michael Courtney Michael Gladney Michael Hughes Michael Peterson Michael Sulzer Michelle Hankemeier Michelle Sewell Mikayla Ann Mike Beardsley Mike Hills Mike Lavery Misie Heegeman Misty Jacobson Mitch Rosenfelt Molly Sommerhalder Morgan Julius Morgan Pass Myschelle Kober Natalie Bolton Nathan Stuckey Nick Greely Nick Lamers Nicole Cola Nicole Elsen Nicole Hankemeier Nikki Ames Nina Julius Norma Ciebell Oscar Anderberg Parker Fuller Patricia Hooser Patricia Van Norden Patrick Williams Patti Zentner Paul Bearsley Paul Boettcher Paul Kramer Peggy Van Camp Peggy Van Camp Penny De Witt Quinn Koehler Rachel Opsahl Rachel Roche Rachel Roeske Rachel Roloff Randell Hanson Raquel Lynn Rebecca Dreger Rema Momberg Rene Geroux Rhonda Holtz Rick Hankemeier Riley Schuh Robyn Greely Ronda Snyder Rose K. Schreiter Ryan Gretschmann Ryan Kelly Ryan Macdonald Ryan Peterson Ryan Suchanek Sabriana Frank Sam Brown Sam Vosters Samantha Burt Samantha Julius Sammi Tracy Sandra L. Wojtalewicz-Eibergen Sara Kaplan Sarah Gruber Sarah M. Hanson Savannah Micke Scott Dahlman Scott Heacock Scott Phelps Selena Pass Shannon McCluskey Shannon Soderberg Sharla Rymer Sharon Julius Shauna Tiede Shelly Chauvin Shyann Nieland Stefanie Georgeson Stephanie Beeh Stephanie Heegeman Stephanie Hermus Stephanie Kastens Stephanie Myher Steven Myher Stevie Rae Babilius Susan Marie Cox Lynd Tamara Decker Tami Pullen Tammy Everson Tanner Maulick Taraline Suiter Taylor Lantagne Taylor Voskuil Terri Lambert Terry Williams Thomas Dix Tiffany Killian Tina Dix Tom Ailport Tom Gretschmann Tom Stevenson Toni Jeske Tony Maass Tonya Colborn Tonya Miller Tori Haupt Tracey Bentley Gausman Travis Ames Travis Van Camp Trenton Danielson Trenton Dix Tucker Everson Tyler Hubb Valerie Hall Vicki Krueger Vickie Shelton Zach Barker Zach Koehler Zach VanGroll
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 20:58:38 +0000
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