Man Sentenced for Badly Injuring Lakewood Woman in Gas Station Traffic Accident

The man who nearly severed the right leg of Lakewood's  was sentenced 13-17 months Thursday afternoon in a Tacoma Municipal Courthouse.

Yoni Valencia, 23, pled guilty to vehicular assault and felony hit and run. After the sentencing, Healey said afterward she'd hoped the court would put the man away for more time.

"I was hoping for a little longer of a sentence," she said with her family sitting next to her.

The accident occurred as Valencia was using his cell phone while driving. He told police he was distracted while having heated argument with his mother and didn't see a stopped car at intersection of 108th Street and Bridgeport Way until it was too late.

He swerved but lost control of his car. He plowed across a sidewalk, through a landscaped area and struck a gas pump and Healey's minivan. The SUV struck and pinned her right leg, nearly severing it.

But then Healey's luck took an immediate turn for the better when PFC Jose Delgado, an Army medic who happened to be at the gas station, , Healey said. .

A toxicology report indicated later that Valencia had consumed an inhalant prior to getting behind the wheel. It produced the similar impairment as alcohol, Prosecutor Tim Jones said.

In court, Valencia appeared remorseful. He apologized to Healey and her family.

"I’m really sorry," Valencia said. "I’m very grateful it’s just your leg and not your life. "There's not a day that goes by where I don’t sit in here and think about what happened that day."

Defense prosecutor Dana Ryan said from day one Valencia was ready to plead guilty and has been emotionally upset because of his actions.

Since the accident, Healey has endured eight surgeries requiring a total of 31 days in the hospital at a cost more than $220,000, she said. Her right leg will be about two inches shorter than her left.

She addressed the courtroom while looking Valencia in the eye.

"Valencia, listen to me. Your actions have impacted my life and the life of my family," Healey said. "It's really hard to imagine what my family had to go through. When my family first found out about the accident, they did not know whether or not they would have a mother."

Healey said that while the sentencing has provided some closure, there are still ongoing medical needs.

"It's not closed," she said. "Not knowing what the extent of how much longer I’ll be recovering, it’s not closed."