CASSOPOLIS — No words can describe hearing the news that your son has been killed. That was the message Friday from Marcelene Steven as she spoke before the sentencing of Adam Craigo, who drove drunk and killed her son, David Michael Steven.

Craigo, 24, of Bristol, Indiana, pleaded no contest to operating while intoxicated causing death and was sentenced Friday to a prison term of four to 15 years. His driver’s license was revoked and he must pay more than $17,000 in restitution to cover funeral and gravestone expenses for Steven.

The incident occurred more than a year ago on Aug. 9, 2017, when Craigo ran a stop sign at Tharp Lake Road and US-12 in Mason Township and hit Steven’s car. His blood alcohol level was .17, which is more than twice the legal limit.

“There really are no words to describe the terror we went through,” Marcelene Steven said. “I have had nightmares many nights, and there are days when I wake up crying. He had such a good heart and he had just begun living his life. He had just gotten off work and was on his way home.

“This is something I’ll never get over ever,” she added. “I feel like I’ve aged 10 years in six months. I still have nightmares. … We all still hurt so much.”

Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Hubbert called the incident “senseless and absolutely unnecessary,” occurring just because Craigo disregarded the lives of others and decided to drink and drive.

He noted that the Craigo family has also seen tragedy over the last year and a half as Craigo’s brother, Joseph, stabbed and killed their father before this accident. Joseph Craigo will be sentenced for first degree murder later this month after a jury trial in August.

Adam Craigo apologized to the Steven family Friday.

“It was a horrible tragic mistake to drink and drive,” he said. “Since that day, I haven’t drunk any alcohol. Even thinking about it makes me want to vomit.”

“This was one act that changed the lives of so many people,” said Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman. “You started drinking heavily after your brother killed your father, and you never gave a thought to the effect your drinking would have on others. Drinking is never a solution to anyone’s problems. It only compounds them.”

In other sentencings:

• A Cassopolis man was sentenced to prison after violating the terms of his probation from an April 2017 conviction for home invasion.

Joseph Lee Emerson III, 22, of Calvin Center Road in Cassopolis, was sentenced to 68 months to 20 years in prison for first degree home invasion and a concurrent term of 28 months to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to commit second degree home invasion. He has credit for 303 days already served.

Emerson violated his probation by being expelled from the Adult Treatment Court when he was late for treatment, used alcohol, broke curfew and associated with criminals.

“Adult Treatment Court is a privilege, not an entitlement,” Judge Herman said. “You learned some tools but on the down side, you have undermined the treatment process and fallen back into your old ways … Good luck. You’re a young man and when you get out, you’ll still be a young man.”

• In another sentencing, Mason Maxwell Sexton, 19, of Redfield Road in Edwardsburg, was sentenced to 18 months’ probation, 120 days in jail for malicious destruction of police property, and more than $4,400 in restitution to the Edwardsburg-Ontwa Township police department for damage.

He has credit for 65 days already served. He was given concurrent 65-day jail terms for reckless driving and attempted fleeing and eluding.

The incident occurred June 28 when he fled police at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour outside Edwardsburg.

“If you had just stopped, you would not be here today. I hope you learned your lesson,” Herman said.

• Jesse Stanford, 18, of Stateline Road, Edwardsburg, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit second degree home invasion and was sentenced to three years’ probation, 180 days in jail and fines and costs. He has credit for 48 days served and can serve the remainder of the jail term in the Twin County Probation program.

The incident occurred April 19 at a home on Calvin Hill Street in Cassopolis when Stanford and another young man broke into a home to steal property to support their drug habits.