SEATTLE— A King County judge sentenced Delfino Lopez-Morales, 37, to more than 12 years behind bars for killing two teenagers in 2023.

Morales was driving under the influence in March 2023 when he drove the wrong way on the West Seattle Bridge and killed 18-year-old Khalea Thoeuk and Riley Danard.

An emotional day before the judge on Friday as relatives of Thoeuk and Danard spoke directly to the defendant.

BACKGROUND I2 dead in wrong-way crash on West Seattle Bridge

“The moment the medical examiner called me and told me my daughter was killed will haunt me for the rest of my life,” Khalea’s aunt said in a statement from her mother. “He didn’t graduate high school, he wasn’t able to start college as planned and it was something he had been looking forward to.”

López-Morales sobbed as he apologized for what he did on March 22, 2023. Prosecutors said his blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit and there was also THC in his system when he drove the wrong way on the bridge. West Seattle, hitting the car in which Riley and Khalea were traveling head-on.

During sentencing, the prosecutor said Lopez-Morales was driving the wrong way on the West Seattle Bridge and was going 100 mph when he hit the teens.

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During his sentencing, Judge Angela Kaake told López-Morales that a bad decision does not make a person bad, but she also said his recklessness destroyed the lives of many families.

She sentenced him to more than 12 years behind bars.