Driver apologizes to victim's family for deadly crash - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A Youngstown man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a fatal crash that killed a 28-year-old Boardman mother.

It was during the early morning hours on February 3, 2010 when Christopher Kelso's car went left of center and crashed on Wilson Avenue near Prospect Street.

Twenty-eight-year-old Pamela Kennedy of Boardman was killed and another passenger was injured.

Youngstown police believe that Kelso was impaired while behind the wheel. His blood alcohol content was above the legal limit that morning at .139.

In early August, a jury convicted Kelso on aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault charges.

On Tuesday, Mahoning County Common Pleas Judge Lou D'Alpolito sentenced Kelso to seven years in prison and suspended his driver's license for life.

But Kennedy's family says his punishment doesn't measure up. "Addison and her other daughter Ciara get a life sentence. What do you do when Addison comes to you and she knows it's mother's day and she says I really miss my mom papa, so what do you do?" said Ralph Genova, Kennedy's stepfather.

Kennedy's sister Jennifer says it pains her to know that she'll never have a chance to tell her how much she loved her. "She's my only sister and for her to go, and a lot of times I feel like that should have been me and not her," said Jennifer Sharpe, Kennedy's sister.

Kelso apologized for his actions that night and reiterated that he hasn't taken the legal process lightly. "I accept this. I am sorry. I am sorry to the family. I wish everyday and every moment of my life that I could bring back Pam and that I could trade my life for hers," Kelso said.

Kelso received five years for the aggravated vehicular homicide charge, then two years for the aggravated vehicular assault charge. Of the seven year sentence, he's only mandated to serve five years in prison.

But again, Pamela Kennedy's family says five years in prison is nothing compared to a lifetime without her in their lives.