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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Man sentenced for hit-and-run death By Diana Hefley Herald Writer LAKE STEVENS -- A felon who turned a family's Thanksgiving Day into a nightmare was sentenced to spend more than five years behind bars. Joshua Dale Pettey, 24, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide, hit-and-run and possession of a stolen vehicle in connection with a crash that killed an elderly man. He was sentenced Tuesday in Snohomish County Superior Court. Jack VanHouten, 78, was a passenger in the car Pettey hit. VanHouten suffered broken ribs in the accident. Investigators concluded that his injuries contributed to his death a few days later. Three other occupants in the car, including his grandchildren and wife, were severely injured, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Ed Stemler said. Pettey was driving a stolen Honda when he blew threw a stop sign and smashed into the vehicle on Lundeen Parkway. He then broke out a window of the stolen vehicle and ran from the accident scene. Pettey was under state supervision when he crashed the stolen car. He has previous convictions for drug possession, attempting to elude police and possessing stolen property. Pettey told police he was high on methamphetamine at the time of the crash. Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.

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