Sanchez pleads guilty in teen's death

By KATE McCARDELL
Floridan Staff Writer

A 14-month investigation and a swift trial ended with a firm handshake between Scot Black and the young man who pled guilty to vehicular homicide in the death of Black’s daughter.
Gabriel Sanchez, 17, of Marianna, was ajudicated as a juvenile and pled guilty to one count of vehicluar homicide Friday morning. His charge stemmed from a crash in the summer of 2007 that proved fatal for Mary Perfecta Fabian Black, 17, who was a passenger in the vehicle Sanchez was driving.
“Gabriel ... Sometimes the result of our actions is not tangible,” began a statement Black read before Sanchez in the courtroom. “You rolled the dice and you lost,” he continued, “But you have a second chance. You have an opportunity to make something good come out of this tragedy.”
According to Assistant State Attorney Mark Sims, Sanchez was driving on June 30, 2007 with several Jackson County teens riding in his vehicle, including Mary Black.
“After a night of social events, he was engaged in jumping a hill on Berskshire Road at estimated speeds at 80 to 80 miles per hour,” said Sims.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, Sanchez lost control of the vehicle as it crested the hill; causing the vehicle to rotate, slide into the road’s shoulder and collide in the rear of the vehicle with a large tree. The collision caused the vehicle to overturn.
An FHP report said alcohol was a factor in the incident, but Sanchez’s blood tested negative for alcohol.
The absence of alcohol in Sanchez’s system is why he was charged with vehicluar homicide instead of DUI manslaughter, said Sims.
Sanchez initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, but withdrew that plea on Friday morning.
Judge Bill Wright accepted his guilty plea, granting certain terms of probation agreed upon by both parties.
Beginning last Friday Sanchez will remain on probation under the Department of Juvenile Justice until he turns 19; the maximum amount that can be allotted under juvenile jurisdiction, said Sims.
His probation will last about 15 months. The terms, according to Sims, include the following: Eight public, in person, speaking engagements, most of which will take place in the Jackson County School District and two of them to take place at Ponce De Leon High School and Bethlehem High School; a curfew from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., with the exception of school and extra curricular activities that are supervised by Sanchez’s parents or another responsible adult; a suspended license for 36 months; 200 hourse of community service, half of which must be served in a trauma environment such as an emergency room or with highway patrol; and $240 in restitution to the Malone Lady Tigers basketball team, for which Mary Black was an active team member.
Sanchez will also be required to publish a letter of apology in a Sunday edition of the Jackson County Floridan. Additionally, he will be charged $168 in court fees.
Mary Black had just turned 17 before her death. She leaves behind her parents Scot and Cristina Black, and her older brother, Chris.
“Our marriage is being held together by a thread at best,” Scot Black read to Sanchez in court. “ I gave Mary permission to go that night, it was my fault. I was to blame. Chris struggled at FSU hoping to major in biology. He lost his scholarship. With counseling and a lot of hard work he was able to return this fall semester. To you this may be over, I don’t know. For us there will never be closure. Mary’s room is just the way she left it. Birthday presents not touched, mail unopened, clothes in the hamper. I look at her door and know she won’t be walking out and say ‘Dad what’s for breakfast.”
Cristina Black spoke next, choking back sobs as she told Sanchez and the rest of the courtroom about her daughter.
“I’ve been patiently waiting for this opportunity to tell you from my dying heart about my loving daughter. Mary Perfecta Fabian Black. Mary was a friendly, loving, caring, helpful person. Fun to be around. She loved and cared about her family and friends. I was the happiest Mother when Mary came into this world. My prayers were answered. I took good care of my children, the best way that my parents had taught me. I was so protective with them. I did everything that a Mother can do for their children.”
“In the summer of Mary’s 6th grade year we moved here from Ohio. She started going to Malone school. She played basketball, soccer and softball. Basketball was her passion and in her heart. She was the most highly recruited point guard according to her coach. She had been playing basketball since she was in the 4th grade. I very much enjoyed going to all her games and I will miss that very much. When her team went to the state finals and lost by one point, she promised me that they would go back in her senior year. But, that promise will never be fulfilled. You took my daughters dream and my dream that one day she would be playing college ball and attending Ohio State.”
“She trusted you that night to take her home safely. The choices you made that night in June robbed Mary of her future. You still have your senior year. When its time for your prom, I want you to think about how Mary missed hers. When you are at your graduation, I want you to think about how Mary missed hers. The decisions you made that night not only took my daughters life but, affected many others. You took a teammate from the Lady Tigers, a classmate from the class of 08, a friend from all the students, Chris’s sister and our daughter.”
“For the life of me I can’t understand why you made the choices that you made that night. What were you thinking driving that fast? The consequences can not be reversed. Mary is gone and we have to live with that everyday. I hope you learned something from this, because our lives will never be the same. Part of me is gone. I miss my daughter dearly; I miss her smile, her laughter, her voice and touch. I miss everything.For now, I can not forgive you, but hopefully with time this will change.”
As the trial ended, Sanchez approached Scot Black with his hand outstretched.
Black’s eyes fixed steadily on the young man’s, and the two stood in a motionless hand shake, silent except for two words.
“Good luck,” said Black.
Sanchez’s parents decline to comment, but his attorney Bary Baroset said the Sanchezes have been through a trying time and recognize with great sympathy the tragedy the Blacks have endured.