KENT, Wash. — "It feels like it was just yesterday," Jackie Nolan said outside a courtroom in the Regional Justice Center in Kent.
But it was more than a year ago on New Year's Day 2014 that her brother, James Nolan, was killed in a horrific drunk driving wreck. Jackie Nolan and another one of James' four siblings, Samantha Young, said not a day goes by they and the many friends who loved the popular 19-year-old don't miss him.
"It's just like they're lost. They don't know what to do, just like us," Jackie Nolan says, wiping tears out of her eyes.
But the hardest part about James Nolan's death for the two sisters may be knowing who killed him -- Martin "Dashan" Allen.
"Dashan was one of his best friends, so it's hard what happened to have to watch him go through this, because I know he misses him, too," Jackie Nolan explained.
The sisters were in court Tuesday when Allen pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault for severely injuring two others in the Burien crash. He admitted he was drunk, high and speeding when he ran a stop sign.
The prosecutor read his confession to the court.
"'I went through the intersection and crashed into a tree. James was killed by a head injury. Emily [Colang] got fractures that left her partially paralyzed, and Isaiah [Thomas] got arm, pelvis and leg fractures.' Mr. Allen is that a true and correct statement?" the prosecutor asked.
"Yes," Allen replied.
Still, James Nolan's family didn't come to court hoping for a particular punishment. They aren't angry. They're just heartbroken.
"I don't want to put some sentence on it or some time length, because no matter much time he does, it's not going to bring James back," Jackie Nolan said.
Vehicular homicide can carry a sentence of ;up to life in prison.
On Tuesday, the state recommended roughly seven years. Allen will be sentenced on Feb. 27.
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