23-Year-Old Meridian Woman Gets Mandatory 4 Years For Fatal Crash

On July 22, 2018, 23-year-old Courtni Vertni of Meridian, Idaho was driving after hitting three different bars and she had an almost empty bottle of vodka that she had bought just hours before.  The decision she made that day rocked the world of two families.  She would be locked up away from her husband and loved ones and the family of 36-year-old Herbert "Herbie" Moran would have to find a way to move on without him.

The accident took place in a 35 mph zone on 10 Mile Road.  Vertni was going 86 mph when she ran into the back of Moran spinning his vehicle out which eventually ejected Moran killing him on the spot.

A few things that bother me about this case are...

1. There are "rumors" that Verity said at one point that Moran’s death “really did not matter” because he was not married and had no children.  I hope that's not true.  Verity's attorney absolutely denies any such thing ever being said and I can only hope and pray that's the truth.
2. Three bars and an empty bottle of vodka you had just bought hours before rolling around in the front of your vehicle?  Verity's blood alcohol tests came in at 0.21 which was more than twice the legal limit.
3. Fourth District Court Judge Michael Reardon said Verity constantly would talk about how this was affecting HER... rarely thinking about how this was affecting so many others including her own family.

The Idaho Statesman reports about a lot of back and forth between prosecutors and defense but in the end, Judge Reardon sentenced Verity to 15 years with a mandatory 4 years before she could possibly get out on parole.  We can only hope that Verity will use this horrific tragedy to better herself and take every second of life she has left on this earth doing good and trying to make up for this loss.

Moran's mother had this to say in court...

“Herbie touched so many lives. He loved being an uncle and (loved) his friends.  I think about my son every evening, every day. ... Courtni Verity made a decision that night … because of that choice, our lives will never be the same.

Losing a child is an unthinkable tragedy that no one, other than those that have gone through it can understand.  I'm so sorry to this family for their loss.  I'm so sorry that Herbie will never be able to do and accomplish and live life the way he dreamed of.  I'm so sorry that Courtni's family has had to deal with their own loss as well.  And I'm sorry for Courtni.  I'm sorry that she deserves this punishment and probably a lot worse.  I'm sorry she made that choice that day.  Something in her life was not right and it all came to a devastating and sudden stop that day.  This beautiful, young woman has destroyed her own life and the lives of so many others.  Again, I can only hope that she'll spend the rest of her time on this earth doing her best to make up for the worst decision she's ever made.