‘She had so much life to live’: Family mourns Henderson woman killed in DUI crash, attends sentencing

For nearly a year after her sister was killed by a drunken driver, Ginger Jacks had to remind her father, whose dementia caused frequent lapses in memory, of the loss.

With each reminder, Jacks tried to push away images she had seen from the scene of the April 2024 crash: Her sister, who had been stranded on the side of the road with a broken-down car, was thrown across the roadway and run over.

Diana Ready, 58, died at the scene. Her “life mattered,” Jacks told Judge Tara Clark Newberry during a Tuesday sentencing for Cody Hill, who pleaded guilty to driving impaired and causing Ready’s death. Clark Newberry sentenced Hill to five to 12½ years in prison.

Jacks said Ready loved Godiva chocolate and helping stray dogs. Jacks also played an old voicemail from Ready, where her sister sang “Happy Birthday,” giggled, and ended the message with, “I love you.”

Jacks’ arms trembled as she addressed Hill, who was also ordered to complete substance abuse counseling while incarcerated and required to have a breath interlock device on his vehicle for at least a year after his release.

“I pray that you get better,” Jacks said. “I pray that you will never inflict this amount of pain on other people again.”

Ready’s family, including her daughter, siblings and mother, filled the right side of the courtroom gallery. They wore white T-shirts emblazoned with her portrait on the front, and on the back, the words “Struck and killed by a drunk driver.”

Sharlene Rosas, Ready’s daughter, said her mother has missed major milestones her grandson, who is on the autism spectrum, has reached since her death.

“She had so much life to live,” Rosas cried.

Hill kept his eyes down as Ready’s relatives delivered their victim impact statements. Before the judge announced the sentence, he apologized to the family. His family members also packed the left side of the courtroom, sitting silently for the hearing.

“I understand that I should not have gotten behind the wheel that day. You guys are in my heart and prayers every day,” Hill said as Ready’s mother, Betty Ready, wept loudly in the gallery.

After the hearing, Jacks said Hill’s apology should have come much sooner.

“This is the first time we’ve heard remorse from him,” Jacks said. “I understand that it’s the law, but [the sentence] is far from justice. He knew he could have killed somebody, and that did not stop him.”

Jacks said that no matter the sentence, she would keep sharing her sister’s story and memory if it could educate and prevent even one person from driving impaired.

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.