Christopher Tirrell was sentenced to 21 years in prison Thursday for his role in a fatal 2008 car crash.

According to testimony in Buchanan County circuit court, the 22-year-old St. Joseph man was the driver on May 9, 2008, when his friend Kyle Jones went “roof surfing” on top of the SUV. Three others — James Maples, Jamie Shelby and Jackie Furbee — were passengers in the vehicle.

Mr. Tirrell told Judge Dan Kellogg that during the third time Mr. Jones went roof surfing, Mr. Tirrell failed to navigate Mitchell Avenue, where the gravel turned to pavement east of Riverside Road. The crash killed Mr. Tirrell’s fianceé, Ms. Furbee, 21, and Mr. Jones, 22, both of St. Joseph. Ms. Shelby was paralyzed from the chest down, while Mr. Maples suffered numerous broken bones but made a full recovery.

No alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s report said Mr. Tirrell was driving nearly 95 mph. The defendant testified he was traveling about 75 mph.

The defendant turned down his attorney Michael Insco’s advice to go to trial and pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault last month. Mr. Kellogg sentenced Mr. Tirrell to four, four, seven and six years, respectively, to be served consecutively. It was one year less than the maximum sentence.

“It is just a careless and wantonly negligent act, just inviting trouble,” Mr. Kellogg told the defendant before issuing his sentence. Afterward, Mr. Kellogg told the families and friends gathered in his packed courtroom that he couldn’t presume to know how they felt, but said “you will never have peace in your own lives” unless you find a way to forgive.

Mr. Insco argued that all five people riding in the vehicle assumed risk that night and said none of them raised any objections to the roof surfing before the crash. He asked for mercy from the court, telling the judge “positive actions bear far sweeter fruit than vengeance.”

Mr. Tirrell told the families, “I wish every day of my life it was me who passed away instead of Jackie or Kyle.”

During Thursday’s sentencing, assistant prosecutor Ron Holliday called five family members and Ms. Shelby to testify. Their statements were met with a chorus of sniffles and sobs. Mr. Tirrell kept his hands clasped in front of his mouth, staring down or closing his eyes throughout the statements. He occasionally wiped away tears.

Mr. Jones’ mother, Angela, told the court, “I don’t care if I live or die anymore because he is no longer here for me to love.”

Ms. Shelby, who was in a wheelchair, told the court that she and Ms. Furbee begged Mr. Tirrell to slow down and he refused.

“Even though I have forgiven Chris Tirrell for what he has done,” she said, “I want him to get the maximum for what he has done so he has time to think.”

Mr. Holliday, in his statements, argued that Mr. Tirrell’s actions were far past youthful recklessness, and that the defendant’s previous guilty pleas for stealing, burglary, passing a bad check, property damage and domestic assault and nine conduct violations while in prison showed a lenient sentence would have little effect on him.

“He is beyond any hope of rectifying his life,” said Mr. Holliday, who added this sentence was about sending a message to other young people at risk for engaging in the same type of behavior.

R.J. Cooper can be reached

at rjcooper@npgco.com.

n In a story on Page A8 of Friday’s News-Press, a reporter incorrectly listed the age of Jackie Furbee at the time of her death in a May 2008 car accident. She was 20.

The News-Press apologizes for the error.