‘I don’t have my best friend anymore’: 30-year-old woman sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison for Spokane vehicular homicide

After nearly three years and two trials, a judge delivered the high-end sentence to a 30-year-old woman who killed her 39-year-old passenger in a drunken driving crash.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Rachelle Anderson sentenced Selina Juarez on Friday to 8½ years in prison – the high end of the standard sentence range – after hearing statements from about 10 of Brandon McDonald’s loved ones.

“This was a tragedy,” said Jacqueline Collins, McDonald’s mother, noting the couple had been fighting before the crash. “My son’s life was taken out of anger, not out of fear.”

A jury convicted Juarez of vehicular homicide in January after the first trial for the case ended last summer in a hung jury.

Juarez was driving early in the morning on June 22, 2021, when she crashed in the 2300 block of East Trent Avenue, killing McDonald.

Evidence showed the car hit a fire hydrant, ripping it from the ground, then continued on to hit a rail car parked on the railroad tracks, according to court documents. The car then rolled.

A toxicology report showed Juarez’s blood alcohol content was 0.10, above the 0.08 legal limit in Washington. Lab results also showed marijuana and cocaine in Juarez’s system, according to a Spokane police news release in January.

Investigators say Juarez was going 59 mph in a 35 mph zone.

Collins said in 2021 that Juarez and her son had a long-term on-again, off-again fling that the mother discouraged.

Several of McDonald’s family and friends, including Collins, showed up to court Friday wearing shirts with photos of McDonald on them.

Many of them claimed Juarez never took responsibility or expressed remorse for killing McDonald. Still, some said they would try to find it in their hearts to forgive her.

Juarez apologized Friday to McDonald’s family for her decisions. She also apologized to the community for potentially putting others in danger that morning and hoped Friday’s sentencing gave closure to the family.

Collins said her son was a “lovable guy.”

“Everybody liked Brandon,” she said.

She said her son would come to her house every morning where they laughed, chatted and planned their day.

“I only had one Brandon,” Collins said. “He was my baby.”

McDonald’s daughter, Eva McDonald, said she was a sophomore in high school when he died. Now, she’s a high school graduate who moved away from her hometown to live her life as an adult, she said.

Eva McDonald said her father was funny, dedicated and had a contagious laugh. She said Juarez “broke” her, and she’s angry it took so long for her to be sentenced.

“It’s been a hard three years without you,” Eva McDonald said via Zoom.

Tressa Talarico said June 22 will always have two life-changing events – her wedding anniversary and the day she lost her brother.

She said McDonald was the type of guy who would call someone on their worst day.

“I don’t have my best friend anymore,” she said.

Brandon McDonald was a local rapper and comedian, according to his family.

Whitney Hovland said she and McDonald were working business plans into reality before his death. One of them was designing blueprints to open a food truck.

“I don’t even know where to pick up the pieces to continue this dream,” she said via Zoom.

Spokane County deputy prosecutor Anastasiya Krotoff recommended Anderson impose the 8½-year sentence.

Juarez’s attorney, Robert Cossey, asked for a 39-month exceptional sentence, well below the 78-month low end of the sentence range.

“Is that what Mr. McDonald’s life is really worth?” Krotoff said of the 39 months.

Anderson said no matter what sentence she imposed, it would not bring McDonald back or relieve Juarez of her guilt. She said Juarez’s choices led to a significant loss.

Juarez will serve 18 months of community custody when she’s released from prison.