23-Year-Old Man Sentenced in Case Related to the Death of Two Young Women

Press release from the Humboldt County Attorney’s Office:

District Attorney DA HumboldtHumboldt County Superior Court Judge John Feeney today ruled on the punishment of 23-year-old Kade Chandler for two counts of felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one count of misdemeanor driving under the influence of drugs causing injury. Chandler pled guilty to those charges last month. The charges reflect the defendant’s actions on February 21, 2015 on Highway 36, when he drove into a tree, killing his passengers Savannah Kiana Kindred (21 years old) and Kendra Paige Leialoha Lewis (19 years old) and injuring passenger Bradley Thuemler (22 years old).

At today’s sentencing hearing, Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Roger Rees argued that Chandler should receive a prison sentence. Relatives of Savannah and Kendra also addressed the court.

Judge Feeney suspended imposition of sentence and placed Chandler on a 10-year grant of supervised probation. If Chandler violates probation he may be sentenced to 12 years in prison: a maximum of 10 years for one count of gross vehicular manslaughter and 2 additional years for the second charge. As a condition of his probation, Chandler will serve 1 year in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. Feeney also ordered Chandler to perform 1,000 hours of community service, including speaking to younger people about the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. Other terms of his probation include: no driving for 3 years, submit to chemical testing at the request of any law enforcement officer, submit to search and seizure at the request of an officer, and no association with anyone trafficking in controlled substances. As a convicted felon, Mr. Chandler will be prohibited from possessing firearms for life.

Mr. Chandler was remanded into custody at the conclusion of the proceedings to begin serving his 1-year jail commitment. A restitution hearing on the case is currently scheduled for January 12, 2018 at 9:15 am.

Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming expressed appreciation for the work of first responders (Carlotta Volunteer Fire Department and Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Department) and law enforcement (California Highway Patrol) on the case, which included a lengthy investigation.

Earlier Chapter: Accident on Hwy 36

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George Straw
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George Straw
6 years ago

Judge Feeney needs to be impeached !

Andrew
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Andrew
6 years ago
Reply to  George Straw

👍

Meth again
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Meth again
6 years ago
Reply to  George Straw

And his gun rights get taken away,interesting conclusion to something that didn’t involve a weapon at all.Is like telling someone they can’t have matches to light a fire because they punched someone,equally as unrelated.SMH

Randi Cacciola
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Randi Cacciola
6 years ago

Wow … I wonder how the girls parents are taking this news?

Dave L
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Dave L
6 years ago

A limp slap on the wrist.

Concerned Trinity County Resident
Guest
Concerned Trinity County Resident
6 years ago

One year in jail? Basically he got a slap on the wrist even with the other stipulations. How long are those girls going to be dead? A lot longer than a year or three years. Shameful and shame on the judge.

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago

Those girls also decided to get in a car driven by an impaired person. They must bare some of the responsibility for putting themselves in a potential dangerous situation. I personally feel much worse for completely innocent bystanders or other drivers. Hopefully this guy will learn from this situation and never repeat it and maybe reach some young people through his community service.

Real talk
Guest
Real talk
6 years ago
Reply to  Freedom Club

Pretty sure, they didn’t know his level of intoxicating. Easy to comment when you don’t know the fine details.

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Real talk

Well that was a very unfortunate overlook on their part. I personally know that I gauge the ability of the driver before I get in the vehicle with others. Maybe that is just me and maybe why I have never been involved in an accident on the road. Certainly not saying they deserved to die, but just saying that as an individual it is our responsibility to look out for own well being if we value safety and being alive.

guest
Guest
guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Freedom Club

Yea they decided to get in the truck, but he is the one who decided to drive way faster than the speed limit. They didn’t have any control over that, and that is what caused the wreck that killed them. Him being under the influence only makes it worse, it doesn’t make it the girls fault for riding with him

Antichrist
Guest
Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  guest

As adults they are responsible for their safety and no one else is, just as any other adult. A responsible person being responsible would ensure that they were sober enough to maintain their safety. That means as an adult they should have made it a point to know how to avoid or take charge of that whole situation.

HOGRANCH
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HOGRANCH
6 years ago

WHERE IS JUSTICE? THIS JUDGE NEEDS REPLACING, AND QUICKLY. BEFORE HE CAN DO THIS AGAIN.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

Please don’t drink and drive!!

Anon
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Anon
6 years ago

As a close family friend I can tell you the parents are heartbroken and totally unpleased with this verdict and this judge!!
He needs to be replaced immediately!!
We had family memebers fly in from all over the country yesterday for the sentencing and he decided to not show up, not tell anyone and do it today!!
Trying to control a croud!?
Trying to silence the family?!
I don’t know but the whole justice system here is bull and we all know it!! This completely blows my mind! 1 year for killing a family member of mine!! I’m livid!! Reading it here only pours lemon juice on the wound. So messed up. I’m so heartbroken for all family’s involved. So so sad!!

Sofi
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Sofi
6 years ago
Reply to  Anon

I am so sorry! This judge is basically saying it’s okay to be intoxicated and kill somebody..not much of a punishment. He is pretty much getting away with murder. I hope if this young man drinks and drives again causing an accident….it’s one of the judges family members or loved ones. This is unbelievable!

Gina
Guest
Gina
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym Kemp, keeping it real for us…thank you.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

It’s a desire to share the pain only. Sofi simply said that if there’s going to be a death, then let it be one that reforms the judge’s thinking. Sofi’s post never said there should be a death. Althought it might have been expressing a thought that, since the judge did not provide effective punishment for evil behavior, it is likely to happen.

There should be critical thinking applied to reading as well as writing. I don’t know that Sofi is right but at least criticizing the post should be based on what was there, not what was not there.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

We can but, if you find yourself helpless and powerless in front of authority, saying the words will be the only weapon you have to fight back. And who knows- it just might get the powerful to think about it further. Probably not but, as I said, it’s all you got. Such words evoke sympathy in me as a display of pain, even if I don’t agree.

Proud Deplorable Grandma
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Proud Deplorable Grandma
6 years ago
Reply to  Anon

Anon, please let your friends know how sorry we are. Really seriously awful sentence.

Just Saying
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Just Saying
6 years ago
Reply to  Anon

I am the member of a family who was a victim of serious crime here and the county took into account our feelings about the sentencing before a decision was made. The article does not articulate the family’s testimony whatsoever. I’m shocked, and disappointed, the judge would disregard the DA’s agreement with the family, if there was one.

Kylie Felicich
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Kylie Felicich
6 years ago
Reply to  Just Saying

I’m so sorry for you and your family I can’t imagine what you’re going through.

Sep
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Sep
6 years ago

WHAT A DAM JOKE!!!!!!! Drive drunk kill 2 people and get a yr!!!!

Patte Rae
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Patte Rae
6 years ago
Reply to  Sep

I hate to stir the pot…but I will because this is so unjust. He has had his drivers license up till his sentence. WRONG. Shame on that judge.

Double speak outside of cheek
Guest
Double speak outside of cheek
6 years ago

My heart goes out to the victims family and friends. This makes me sick that you can get behind a wheel and kill people and not receive serious consequences. This happens over and over again in this county. What has become of the justice system when you do less time for killing than you do for child molest, rape, growing, etc? Disgusting.

Taurus Ballzhoff
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Taurus Ballzhoff
6 years ago

Takes a second to kill, 10 seconds to slow down, 10 minutes longer to arrive alive, overnight to sober up before you leave, an entire lifetime to live, hating yourself, without the women you killed.

A year too long to live with this pain. Life too short, to go through this. Be careful!

fuckwalterwhite.com
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fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago

Fkn judge probably goes to Wine with Swine. This is the message they’re sending. That’s it’s ok to be wasted and not to respect the law.
No car for 3 years,no guns for life? How about NO BOOZE FOR LIFE? Oh that’s too harsh….?
How are these kids families going to react when they see him flipping their burger or riding his bike?

Esme
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Esme
6 years ago

I get why people are angry, but those passengers chose to get in the car with a drunk driver. He didn’t run them down in the street. They are all equally guilty of really bad judgement. It could easily have been that the driver was crushed and they survived. I’d just as soon not be paying 10s of thousands a year to incarcerate this guy and turn him into something worse than when he went in. It wouldn’t bring those girls back. There’s more productive outlets for this rage than petty revenge that only makes the world worse. If the threat of death doesn’t stop a drunk driver, then I doubt the threat of a harsh prison sentence will deter.

Antichrist
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Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  Esme

Thats what i have been thinking, at somepoint people have to realise that just because one person was doing bad that doesnt place all blame if others were also making crappy judgements. We arent supposed to have a system to punish people, we are supposed to have a system rehilibates folks to have them live productive lives. It sucks i know but really it isnt about revenge it is about ensuring this person gets help , learns not to recommit and is monitored to ensure that the education recived is working.

Fed Up
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Fed Up
6 years ago
Reply to  Esme

Wasn’t it earlier stated somewhere (social media…) that the driver of the party was sober but then switched seats with Kade? And the driver was aware Kade was intoxicated? No fucking justice in this county.
Don’t drink and drive, but we won’t hardly punish you for killing someone if you do.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Fed Up

No one is required to enforce the law unless they have a professional mandate to do so. And thank goodness for that otherwise I’d have to report all the loose dogs running around my neighborhood, all the pot sales, all the people driving defective cars, etc. That would certainly result in my getting murdered as way too many people love to blame those who catch them when their poor decisions go wrong rather than themselves for making them.

I remember the exact moment I became a tee totaller. A friend had taken me to have a drink. One drink. When we got to her car, she said she did not feel sober enough to drive and asked me to. I happily obliged, immediately continuing to exercised my poor judgement by pulling out right in front of another car, causing them to slam on their brakes. I blithely kept driving without a care.

Luckily I was sober to remember what I had done and, when I sobered up, was shocked that I had not even been concerned at the time.

Intoxicated people never make the connections between their lack of sobriety and “stuff” that happens. Getting by without killing people is not a sign that being intoxicated is ok. It’s that others not intoxicated sometimes react enough to avoid you.

Real talk
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Real talk
6 years ago
Reply to  Esme

They didn’t know his level of his intoxication. If you are the driver, YOU are responsible.

Antichrist
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Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  Real talk

So, you are expecting people to believe that you know what 2 dead girls knew, before they died ? Drink some coffee, or sober up please

HOGRANCH
Guest
HOGRANCH
6 years ago
Reply to  Esme

With that kind of thinking, we need to just open the cell doors an turn them all loose, and reject any type of responsibility, why bother with a trial or a judgement, dont waste the peoples time gathering a jury, spend lotsa money to end up with no results. why even punish the driver to where this is no more than an a trip to dmv to reinstate his cdl, if he even lost his priviledge to drive. JUSTICE IS BLIND!

Antichrist
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Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  HOGRANCH

Califorina not comericial

Fish
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Fish
6 years ago

I have left Humboldt for A long time now. But Kim’s site makes me feel I am still at home. I worked in the woods with a timberfaller Mike C. Is this a near relative? So sorry .

Fortuna Kathy
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Fortuna Kathy
6 years ago

Doesn’t anyone remember the events of that night? It was Kade’s truck, but Bradley was the one originally driving when they headed out on Hwy 36. So the girls didn’t originally get in with Kade driving.
Somehow, Kade got Bradley to pull over and let him drive even though he was clearly intoxicated. They didn’t even make it a mile down the road after that.
Was Bradley ever charged for anything? Is accessory to manslaughter something they can prosecute?

Mamma didn't raise no fool
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Mamma didn't raise no fool
6 years ago
Reply to  Fortuna Kathy

@ Fortuna Kathy, how the he** do you think Bradly could or should be charged as an accessory to anything??? He tried to be the good guy and Kade was throwing a fit because he didn’t like the speed that Brad was driving, there was a argument and Kade said “it’s my f****** truck pull over. There is NO law that says a sober driver can be held accountable for the idiot that has been drinking and gets behind the wheel. I am told the girls were yelling at Brad to pull over as well. The girls paid the ultimate price for their horrible choices but, Kade is basically walking away from this unscathed and that is so WRONG!!! Judge Feeney needs to be removed from the bench as nobody that can make a judgement like this (after the defendant has plead guilty and accepted the 6 year deal). He was either paid off or is not competent to be in his position on the bench.

tired of all this hate
Guest
tired of all this hate
6 years ago

WHAT WERE THE COMMENTS OF THE FAMILY? Since it is not reported here we do not know. Often families will ASK for mercy.
I was once in court with a dear friend whose illegal posession of a firearm resulted in an accidental death, he was liable to get a prison term for it. The mother of the person who died stood up at sentencing and asked the judge not to send him to prison, and the judge listened.
Remember, there but for the grace of god, you go as well.

Mamma didn't raise no fool
Guest
Mamma didn't raise no fool
6 years ago

@ESME Yes those two beautiful girls made a bad choice that night by being in a vehicle driven by a guy drunk on alcohol, high on weed, cocaine and opiates BUT, they have already paid the ultimate price!!! And Kade was supposed to have to pay a heavy price as well. @ tired of all this hate there are plenty of family comments all over the internet and believe me they are NOT okay with this sentence and DID NOT ask for mercy on Kade. Kade has never reached out to the families in the nearly 3 years time since this happened. But, he did have a new girlfriend 5 months after killing Kendra and Savannah. He traveled to Mexico, Florida etc…..and posted many pictures on facebook of himself partying (DRINKING!!!!!). Now I am no expert but I would think that if he really felt horrible about what he did he would never want to drink again……am I wrong in thinking this???? This sentence is so very sad and I would like to see Judge Feeney removed from the bench…..I do hope that the families of the girls do everything i their power to see that this happens.

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago

Yes you are wrong in thinking that. I would hope that he never operates a vehicle while intoxicated, but there are plenty of safe ways to continue using drugs and or alcohol in the right situations.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Freedom Club

Sure, right,intoxicated people are notorious for making good decisions.

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Well it’s up to each person to know their limits and you can use drugs and alcohol responsibly without becoming so intoxicated that you make dangerous decisions. You can drown in water, yet billions of people bathe in it every day. As long as he makes sure to not let something like this happen again I don’t see how remorse is going to bring those lives back or change anything for that matter. It may be bad optics what he is doing on his Facebook postings, but I wouldn’t want to tell an adult what they can or can’t be putting in their own body.

jj
Guest
jj
6 years ago
Reply to  Freedom Club

well, that’s your opinion that she’s wrong…I think that killing two people as a result of drinking to excess would be a bit of a wake up call, time to reassess if there’s a problem with alcohol for this young man, and what the root cause of his drinking truly is. If he has posted photos on Facebook of his good times with alcohol after the accident, it really doesn’t suggest he has very much remorse. Or maybe he does, and drinking alcohol is a way of numbing the pain. It’s a sad and tragic story for everyone involved.

homer
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homer
6 years ago

Bet Marci Kitchen will be asking for the same judge in her case. What is wrong with our judges and judicial system these days ? 6 months each for two lives. Maybe Feeney has dementia and thought the accused was in court for petty theft. Feel for the family members of the deceased. Justice was not served.

Trucker Don
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Trucker Don
6 years ago
Reply to  homer

The judges are too liberal!

Andrew
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Andrew
6 years ago

The judge should be voted out; unless the family asked for leniency. Does anyone
know what the judge gets out of being so lenient? Feeney has a reputation for it.

miss purty
Guest
miss purty
6 years ago

Re: Homers comment on Marci Kitchen requesting this judge…

Covelo or busted
Guest
Covelo or busted
6 years ago

From moist of these comments it feels like public execution would be a great platform to run for dogcatcher on…. ED?

Sober Mom
Guest
Sober Mom
6 years ago

It’s wrong, all of it, the drunk driving and the sentencing. I think the judge should be replaced. And yes , you can bet that hit and run egg donor’s lawyers will ask for him. I don’t speak her name, I can’t call her a mother, you know who I’m talking about… It’s BS! We as citizens deserve protection from people who disrespect those laws, it’s all written in blood, Faith and Kiya’s blood, in these girls blood. We have laws with judges that don’t respect them. Where is MADD when we need them? They better get here before the next trial. This is a disgrace to the loved ones we’ve lost, it rips my heart out, It’s an insult!!! Disbar Feeney!

Antichrist
Guest
Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  Sober Mom

Oh the horror oh the drama !! Heads on pikes !! Off with their heads !!! Makes me flipping sick. It isnt like this kid killed innocent anyones, they were drunk high and not thinking , we were not there so we dont kow why the sober driver allowed the drunk truck owner to drive again, but that happened , and guess what ? Those girls didnt stop it, they did not get out of that truck and demand that the drunk not drive. They decided to accept the risk of riding with someone whom they knew to be drunk and ended up paying the ultimite price. Is it messed up yes, is it sad , dam right it is, is it all the driver fault , no not even close. If i were to assign blame it would be to the sober driver first, the drunk driver secondly the 2 girls thirdly and the parnets of everylast one of them 4th, because if they had taught their children how to deal with situations like this in the first place , they would most likely still be alive today. Now i know what i said here will hurt and anger many, but once you let your feathers settle abit and wash away all feelings you have from other cases or because you know the families or children do, you will see where i am coming from. Maybe instead of demanding another life is waste you would want to use this story as a tool to explain to your children or grandchildren how to better handle drunks and what excatly a sober drivers responsibilities are and why you should always have a back up plan if you need a differant way home then what you were planing on.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Antichrist

While I agree with much of what you say about responsibility, which we are all eager to avoid, being a woman left by the side of the road because the driver was scary also is scary. I did it once and the walk to safety was dangerous too.

As long as society tolerates intoxication, there will simply be more poor judgements by those who think they are just fine. Every pot user thinks they are just fine too.

But in the end, we are talking law, which has its limits on justice. Everyone can not be swept up in it, so the law points to the worst.

Antichrist
Guest
Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

See i understand what you are saying about female on the side of the road, truely. But in this day and age it has been browbeat into me that to concider gender is sexist. So i would have to say that if they were not ready to handle situations like being stranded on the side of the road, then they certainly wete not ready to leave their homes without a parnet. Let along drink

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Antichrist

Not “to consider”- to abuse because of gender is the issue.

Antichrist
Guest
Antichrist
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest

If i as a man were to coddle someone because of their gender, i would be saying that one gender wasnt able to handle the same things another gender could. There by if one conciders gender in any form of stronger or weaker , smarter or less smart, physical or less physical i would be making a sexist statement . And furthermore should one gender d3mand or expect special treatment or exceptions from the other gender they would be demanding or expecting special treatment sololy because of their gender , which is also sexist. So for anyone to bring gender up and an excuse is infact stating that that gender is somehow lesser to the other in that reguard, and that folks is also sexist. So please stop with the poor woman poor girls poor me bs and hold all genders equal in matters of law. Thank you

Freedom Club
Guest
Freedom Club
6 years ago
Reply to  Antichrist

This is one of the best things I have even read on this site and should be sent in a memo to every single social justice warrior on earth. I have to hand it to you antichrist, you continuously post the most rational thoughts in these comment boards.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

I could wish that judge’s rationales could be public records, available to be read online by anyone interested. The relatives and friends are obviously heartbroken and angry. They might have reasonable points or they might be biased because of their hurt. If the judge’s rationale were forced to be public record, it might provide education to the public either as to the judge or those objecting.

Will never happen as it would mean a public accounting for judges and they would certainly squash any attempt at that.

River Rat
Guest
River Rat
6 years ago

I wonder what judge” free-me” would have ruled if one of the deceased had been his child?

Renaissance1
Guest
Renaissance1
6 years ago

This is ridiculous, Humboldt County justice is a joke. My family was a victim of
a drunk driving fatality in Humboldt County, it’s all about the Criminal and their rights, not about the victim and their family, they act like the family has a say in the punishment, but they don’t, they just listen and do what they want anyway. This place has gone to hell. Drunk driving is not taken seriously anywhere in the United States.

SADDAYINHUMBOLDT
Guest
SADDAYINHUMBOLDT
6 years ago

Feeney had to be paid off or he needs to be tested for competency. There is nothing right about what he did. The defendant accepted a plea of guilty and a 6 year sentence, and the Judge does this at the last minute when these families were thinking they would finally see Kade punished for his choice that night as their daughters paid the ultimate price for their choice to trust Kade whom was drunk (double the legal limit) high on weed, cocaine and opitates!!! I’m telling ya, something really stinks about this sentence.

anonguest
Guest
anonguest
6 years ago

Thank you for your sanity.

Go Figure $$
Guest
Go Figure $$
6 years ago

This is the same Judge who was caught cooking the books about a year ago. Apparently Judges get paid by the amount of cases they actually have throughout the year. This Judges fudged the books in a big way, got caught, was called out on it and NOTHING happened. He got away with cheating Humboldt’s tax paying citizens out of 10’s of thousands of dollars and is still sitting on the bench doing a HORRIFIC job and we continue to pay him for it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?