KENT, Wash. — A man was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in late March to striking and killing a 12-year-old boy in Kent with his truck.
Carson Alexander Quinlin, 20, was under the influence of alcohol when he struck and killed pedestrian Gabriel Coury on July 11, 2023, according to Quinlin’s statement in the plea document.
Quinlin was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison on Friday.
Coury's parents shared a message with the public, pleading them to remember not to drink and drive — and to stop others from doing the same.
"You have a choice, speed limits are there for a reason, underage drinking is not OK for a reason. Underage consumption of drugs is not OK, for a reason," Shellie Coury said. "Do the right thing, make the right choices, don't put another family in this position."
Quinlin apologized to the Coury family in court Friday.
"It's the combination of horrible choices that has taken Gabriel from all of you, and I never thought I could be the cause of such terrible pain, loss and heartache, but I am," Quinlin said. "I am committed to a lifetime of sobriety and I will be a productive member of society and give back to the community."
The crash happened about 7 p.m. on July 11, 2023, near the intersection of 132nd Avenue Southeast and Southeast 230th Street in Kent.
Quinlin told police he drove into the oncoming northbound lane to pass slower traffic, and he lost control of the pickup truck moving back into the southbound lanes. Quinlin drove onto the shoulder and hit Coury.
Coury was riding his scooter home from a friend's house when he was hit by Quinlin's truck and ejected onto the sidewalk.
At the time of the crash, Quinlin estimated he was traveling up to 60 miles per hour on a road with a posted speed limit of 35 mph, according to probable cause documents. In court on Thursday, the state's attorney said Quinlin's car data showed he was driving over 90 miles per hour.
Quinlin told police he drank four Twisted Teas before driving and that he smoked marijuana earlier in the day.
Coury’s friends and family remembered him as a talented baseball player who was making the transition from Little League to competitive ball. His dad, Michael Coury, said his son was selfless, loving and kind.
His mom, Shellie Coury, said her son texted her before the crash, saying he was on his way home.
Quinlin was previously charged with reckless driving and a gun charge in addition to vehicular homicide. He originally pleaded not guilty to the charges in July 2023.