BILLINGS — The driver charged in the death of a 19-year-old Laurel teen in August 2021 was sentenced Tuesday to five years with the Montana Department of Corrections following an emotional hearing in Yellowstone County District Court.
Payton Hunter, who was 19 when the crash happened in downtown Billings, had agreed in March to plead guilty to one count of criminal endangerment. Judge Jessica Fehr handed down the sentence after another judge, Ashley Harada, disqualified herself from the case in June.
The prosecution argued that Hunter should receive the 10-year sentence while the defense asked for a more lenient sentence with time deferred.
Fehr ordered a full sentence of 10 years to the state Department of Corrections, with five years suspended. In addition, Hunter must complete 500 hours of community service, submit to mental health and substance abuse treatment and have no contact with family of the victim, 19-year-old Alexus "Lexy" Pyle. Fehr recommended community service aimed at warning teen drivers about the dangers of speeding and reckless driving.
Before the accident, Hunter had been cited four times for speeding.
"The defendant has a history of excessive speed, as well as a failure to follow up on those tests and to follow four orders," said Fehr. "Specifically, the court is directed to exhibit four under seal, which notes just in the window of time before this accident. March 4, 2021, 85 in a 70. March 26, 2021, 92 in a 65. May 28, '21, 95 in an 80."
During Tuesday's hearing, the courtroom was packed with family members of Pyle, who was the passenger in the vehicle driven by Hunter in a two-vehicle collision on First Avenue North in Billings on Aug. 3, 2021.
"Your kids are supposed to bury you, but instead at the young age of 19, I must bury my baby," said Melissa Dunn, Lexy Pyle's mom, during her victim impact statement. "A part of me was buried with her. You, Payton, took her from me. I should be enjoying watching my daughter grow up, graduate from nursing school, find her soulmate, get married, buy her first home, have a baby, watch her grow older."
"She will never come home again. She will never get to live her life. Her life was cut short at 19," said Taylor Dunn, Lexy's sister, in her statement. "Her life was just starting and you made the dumb decision that killed my beautiful, caring, smart sister."
According to police records, Hunter was speeding while heading west on First Avenue North and had previously run a red light. He then collided with another vehicle attempting to make a left-hand turn from North 12th Street. Hunter later admitted to police he had been drinking before the crash.
Pyle was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle, Justin Bighair, was initially charged, but prosecutors dropped those charges in January.
Hunter had initially been charged with negligent homicide before agreeing to the March plea deal.
Taylor said her family will continue to help the community through the Love for Lexy Foundation.
"At the end of the day, she's still my sister. She's still a person. I wish she was here. I wish we didn't have to do this, but at the same time, we have to live with it now. And I'm just hoping that people will remember her, not forget. Now, just because he's put away, I don't, I don't want people to forget who she is or who she wanted to be," said Taylor.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that the defendant was sentenced to prison. The story has been updated to include the sentence imposed was a five-year commitment to the Montana Department of Corrections.
