Man who killed five admits it

A man accused of speeding through a stop sign while drunk and killing five people is facing 24 to 64 years behind bars after pleading guilty in District Court Monday morning.

Ronald Jayne Jr. pleaded guilty to eight felony counts of causing a death or substantial bodily harm while driving under the influence.

He is accused of blowing through a stop sign last year at Farm Road and Tenaya Way in May and plowing into a Mercedes sport utility vehicle carrying a family of eight. Among the dead was an infant, toddler and two young boys.

Tests later showed Jayne was over twice the legal blood alcohol limit.

The May 5 crash is considered one of the worst in Southern Nevada's history.

Jayne, 20, stood stoically in court on Monday wearing a blue prison jumper and shackles. He has remained at the county jail since the May collision.

When District Judge David Wall asked him if he understood what was going on, Jayne replied with a simple: "Yes, your honor."

Jayne agreed to spend a minimum of 24 years and a maximum of 64 years in jail in exchange for pleading guilty. He could have received 64 years to 160 years in prison if found guilty on all counts.

District Judge David Wall still has the final say in how much time Jayne serves in prison. Wall will sentence Jayne on May 2.

Jeffrey Shaner, Jayne's attorney, said Jayne accepted the plea partly because he wanted to spare his family and relatives of the victims the ordeal of a trial.

But he added that Jayne also wants to own up to the collision.

"He's dealing with it in a very adult and rational manner," Shaner said. "He's not looking to blame anyone else. He understands what he's involved in and that he has to pay the consequences."

Jayne was 19 at the time of the crime.

The collision killed 32-year-old Claudia Dominguez, who was driving the Mercedes; 12-year-old Gustavo Dominguez; 9-year-old Fernando Santacruz; 2-year-old Anna Itzelic Miranda and 7-month-old Katherine Luna.

Three others suffered serious injuries. Police said there were seat belts for all the passengers in the SUV. Police said it was impossible to tell at the scene who was belted in.

Family members of the victims reacted with mixed emotions to news of Jayne's plea. Some felt that 24 years wasn't nearly enough prison time for killing five people. Others, like Pedro Rodriguez, said no punishment could change things.

"No amount of years will bring back my niece and all the others," he said. His cousin was Anna Itzelic.

Mario Dominguez, whose cousins were killed in the crash, said he hoped the judge would give Jayne 100 years in prison. Ultimately, he said, Jayne's punishment will be in God's hands.

Speaking by phone from Texas, Dominguez said relatives of the victims are still grieving.

"It's almost a year and we're still hurting like it was yesterday," he said.

Jayne, meanwhile, also has his supporters. Dillon Borgelt has been friends with Jayne for at least six years. He said that Jayne should serve 10 to 20 years behind bars but stressed that Jayne is going to be traumatized for the rest of his life.

"It's never going to leave him," he said.

But Borgelt also said that the driver and passengers in the Mercedes weren't innocent. He said there were alcohol bottles near the SUV after the collision and felt the Mercedes was unsafe because there were too many people in it.

Las Vegas Police Detective William Redfairn confirmed there were bottles near the Mercedes after the crash but they weren't fresh. He added that police found no alcohol in Claudia Dominguez' blood.

Sandy Heverly, executive director of Stop DUI, attended Jayne's hearing on Monday to offer support for family members of the victims. A longtime activist against driving while drunk, Heverly said she hoped Jayne receives a stiff sentence.

"When you look at the family members (of the victims) ... they've been given life sentences," she said.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-1039.