Family upset after hit and run suspect only gets 6 years in prison
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Feelings of grief have turned into feelings of frustration for an Oklahoma family, after a man who hit and killed their loved one before driving away, will now only spend six years in prison.
The incident happened in 2020 while Percilla Cheadle was walking from her apartment to a nearby store.
Her daughter, Leeanna Pannell, says after waiting four years for this case to go in front of a judge, they did not receive justice. They feel cheated and believe her mothers killer got off easy.
"I just don't feel like justice was served, not even a little bit," Pannell said.
A hit and run victim's daughter voicing frustration moments after Tyler Jenicek, the man who killed her mother, was escorted out of an Oklahoma County courtroom following his sentencing.
"There's so many things that failed that made this stretch out as long as they have," Pannell said.
Judge Cindy Truong sentenced Jenicek to just six years in prison with 85% of the sentence reduced, followed by 15 years of probation.
"Do I feel like it's justified? Absolutely not," Pannell said.
She also doesn't feel that Jenicek will learn from this.
"I don't believe after five years or six years, anything about that man will change," Pannell said. "We all at risk for people like him."
Pannell says she is outraged they waited four years to only get this outcome.
"It's just something that's gonna stick with us forever," Pannell said. "I just advise everyone to just watch out for people like himself, you know, who's just careless and reckless and have nothing going on but their decisions. And watch out for a family that fully supports that, like his family that was here today who bond him out. They will never make him hold his self accountable in any parts of that situation. He would never know what it's like to be on the other side of that."
Since the crash, Jenicek has been charged for several other crimes including DUI and having drugs.
Pannell says she will monitor his court hearings moving forward as her family tries to comprehend Tuesday's sentence.