Beecher Tragedy: 'No Sentence Can Bring Back Our Loved Ones'

JOLIET, IL — Sue Schmidt, the paternal grandmother of the family members killed in the Beecher tragedy, issued a statement to Joliet Patch following Friday's decision by Will County Judge Daniel Rippy not to lower the prison sentence ordered for Sean Woulfe.

"I would like to thank Mr. James Glasgow, Adam Capelli, Nichole Pasteris and everyone from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office for their hard work and dedication over the past 5 1/2 years," Schmid wrote. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for the work done by the team in that office as well as Circuit Judge Daniel Rippy. There is obviously no sentence that can bring back our loved ones but due to the current laws this was nearly the best possible outcome. If you are angry about this sentence, fight for change, contact your legislators."

On Friday morning, Joliet criminal defense lawyer George Lenard's attempt to get an even lower sentence for Sean Woulfe, the Orland Park man responsible for killing Lindsey Schmidt, her unborn child and her three young sons, on July 24, 2017, was denied by Judge Rippy.

A short coury hearing took place Friday morning because Lenard had asked the judge to reconsider Tuesday's sentence. The judge gave Woulfe a two-year prison sentence at the Illinois Department of Corrections for each of the five counts of reckless homicide that Woulfe pleaded guilty, back in July. However, the judge ordered the five sentences to run at the same time.

Woulfe has remained in the Will County Jail since pleading guilty.

Lenard told Joliet Patch that his client will receive day for day credit at the Illinois Department of Corrections and Woulfe also receives credit time already served in the Will County Jail, which was 174 days.

Therefore,Woulfe still needs to serve about 191 days, calculations show, which is about six-and-a-half months.

In 2017, Woulfe was traveling 82 mph when he blew a stop sign in rural Will County, crashing into Lindsey Schmidt's van. The pregnant mother of three young sons was on her way to a summer Bible camp that morning near Crete.

Woulfe's wreck took the lives of Lindsey Schmidt, the pregnant mother, and her three young sons, Kaleb, Weston and Owen.

Earlier this week, at Woulfe's sentencing, Lenard informed the judge that Woulfe has experienced life as a crime victim himself after being admitted into the Will County Jail last summer. One of the inmates tossed a bucket of urine on Woulfe inside the jail, and Woulfe is now a crime victim in that particular case, Lenard told the courtroom.

Related Patch coverage:

• Beecher Tragedy: Sean Woulfe Sentenced To Prison
• Third Child Dies After Crash That Killed Pregnant Mom, Toddlers
• Reckless Homicide Charges Filed In Deaths Of Pregnant Mother, Toddlers
• Wrongful Death Lawsuit Gets Settled In Crash That Killed Pregnant Mom, 3 Children
• Beecher Tragedy: 'It Sounded Like An Explosion'