Man sentenced in April crash that killed Detroit boy

Antonio Javon Lucky Jr. killed in crash

DETROIT – A young man who ran a stop sign and hit a family's car last April was sent to prison Friday. The incident left a 7-year-old Detroit boy dead and his family devastated.

It was a very emotional courtroom as the family of the victim showed its anger and its forgiveness.

"My son was Antonio Javon Lucky Jr." Kenyetta Gaines said. "On April 7 at 11:25 p.m., he was taken away from me."

Antonio was killed when the Camaro driven by Dobeyontia Williams blew a stop sign at Whitemore and Mandelson and slammed into the family's Impala.

Antonio's 2-year-old sister was ejected from the car but survived. His mother was also injured. She spoke Friday about her son, who was heading to second grade and dreamed of running track.

"So hard to walk by your son's room and know that he is never going to walk out of that room again," Gaines said.

She also directed her anger toward Williams and his family.

"To have to go see your baby at a gravesite, to look at pictures, to read his obituary every day, and not a bit of sympathy from the family," Gaines said.

She got some sympathy when Williams apologized directly to the family, wishing he could take it back. But the family's anger was still there.

"He broke a lot of hearts, and all he gets is a slap on the wrist?" asked Jerrell Drain, Gaines' boyfriend. "That's my thing."

When Williams ran the stop sign, he wasn't drunk or on drugs. Everyone involved believed it was a tragic accident and for that, Antonio's mother, aunt and grandmother spoke of forgiveness.

"There's no winners in this case," said Gertistine Houston, Antonio's aunt. "There's only losers, and I forgive the young man."

The forgiveness impressed Judge Qiana Lillard, and she sentenced Williams to a minimum of three years and a maximum of 15 years for reckless driving causing death.

"I don't think it's enough, but whether it was or wasn't, it still won't take the pain away that's in my heart for eternity," Gaines said.

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