Man sentenced in deaths of 3 SLU students

AMITE, La. (AP) - State District Judge Doug Hughes on Tuesday sentenced Derek L. Quebedeaux, 23, to serve 12 years in prison on each of three counts of vehicular homicide.The judge also sentenced Quebedeaux, of Hammond, to prison on additional convictions growing out of a drunken driving, hit-and-run accident that killed three Southeastern Louisiana University students in March 2009.The vehicular homicide sentences will run concurrently, with three years of each count to be served without the possibility of probation or parole.The judge gave Quebedeaux five years in prison on each of two counts of first-degree vehicular negligent injury and 10 years in prison each on five counts of hit-and-run, all sentences to run concurrently."This is a story of a dream that has turned into a living nightmare for us," attorney Damien Regnard told the court on behalf of Alain and Arlette Profit, the parents of Maxime Profit, one of the students who died in the crash. "When we heard the news, everything collapsed inside of us and around us."The Profits' statement was part of nearly a full hour of often emotional witness impact statements that Hughes allowed before delivering his verdict.During the statements, Quebedeaux sat at the defense table, wiping his eyes, visibly upset.After the victim impact statements, Quebedeaux made a statement of his own."I wish I could take back that day," he said after composing himself. "I think about it every day. I see their faces every day, every time I close my eyes."At the conclusion of his statement, Quebedeaux turned toward the crowd in the courtroom benches and added, "I really am sorry."Afterward, District Attorney Scott Perrilloux said the state wanted a more severe sentence for the defendant.Maxime Profit's parents refused to speak, but Regnard said that they were disappointed with the sentence.Quebedeaux's attorney, Mike Thiel, said that he thought the sentence was a fair one."He made a tragic mistake," Thiel said of the convicted man. "But this is a good kid from a good family."Thiel said that Quebedeaux would be eligible for probation in four years.Quebedeaux pleaded guilty in November to three counts of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular negligent injuring and five counts of felony hit-and-run in connection with the crash.Quebedeaux admitted to being the driver of a pickup truck that plowed into a group of students walking home along Nashville Street in Hammond around 2 a.m. on March 6, 2009.Three students: Thurman Lowe III, of Kenner; Beth Marine Boudreaux, of Husser; and Maxime Profit, of Vaires Sur Marne, France, were killed. Two other students: Nadine Steward and Maja Bradonjic, were injured.Quebedeaux originally pleaded not guilty to the charges in May 2009.___Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com