Neosho woman sentenced to eight years for drunk driving crash that killed Kearah Lovett

(From the Newton County Prosecuting Attorney's Office)

A Neosho woman was sentenced by Judge Kevin Selby of the 40th Judicial Circuit to eight years in the Missouri Department of Corrections at a sentencing hearing on December 13, 2023. 

Stormi Dean, 28, of Neosho pleaded guilty on October 4, 2023 on a single count of B Felony of Driving While Intoxicated involving the death of another involving a collision on Baxter Street in Neosho on April 2, 2022. 

The maximum sentence was to be capped at ten years pursuant to the defendant’s plea of guilty. 

At sentencing, the family spoke about extending grace to the defendant and her children and informed the court of their blessing that the defendant be sentenced to eight years in prison. 

“The careless and selfish decision to drive while impaired will forever change the trajectory of two families,” stated Prosecuting Attorney William Lynch. “The grace shown by the victims of this senseless act and consideration of the young family of the defendant will have a lasting impact on everyone present at the hearing today.” 

This case was investigated by the Neosho Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Mitch Cross, Katelin Fry, and Prosecuting Attorney William Lynch.

(Editor's Note- Kearah Lovett, 22, a passenger in the car Dean hit, was the one who was killed in the collision.)