A 24-year-old drunk driver who struck and killed a mother and her son on Halloween in 2021 has apologized for heartless comments she made to her father after the deadly crash while pleading for parole, according to a report.
Kesley Pope appeared before a Utah parole board seeking early release from jail three years after the tragic incident in Orem where she fatally hit Season Dow, 43, and Dow’s 16-year-old son Toby. During the hearing on Aug. 27, Pope addressed the insensitive remarks she made, as reported by local news outlet KUTV.
Recorded phone calls between Pope and her father, Jeff Pope, obtained by KUTV, revealed Kesley blaming the victims for their own deaths after the crash.
The Dows were returning home from an Andrea Bocelli concert in Salt Lake City when their car ran out of gas on Interstate 15 in Utah County.
At the age of 22, Pope, who was found to be twice over the legal driving limit, crashed into the car parked on the shoulder.
Season Dow died at the scene, while Toby was airlifted to a hospital where he later passed away from his injuries.
“They’re somewhat at fault already for being on the freeway out of gas, which is against the law,” Jeff can be heard telling his daughter in one phone call to Utah State Prison where she is serving up to 10 years, as reported by KUTV.
“Yeah,” Kesley responds from behind bars before her eventual conviction.
In another disturbing exchange just 17 days after the tragic crash, Kesley coldly told her father that she was “just so glad that it’s my first offense ever.”
“Oh yeah, you’re so lucky there, I mean it’s life changing,” Jeff responded.
“It’s your first offense, they always are nice to first offenders,” he continued, to which she replied that she knows.
During Pope’s parole hearing, she mentioned seeing the report on the phone calls from the local news.
“I want to apologize because I was thrown off by this news segment that I saw last night. I’m so sorry for some of the things my family has said,” she said. “No matter what was said by my family, it was so wrong, and it is my fault, and I will never not say that it wasn’t my fault.”
“My heart hurts for you and your family so, so much,” Pope told the parole board. “My selfish decision broke your innocent family, and I wish I could take it back every single day.”
Christian Dow, Season’s husband and Toby’s father, was present in the courtroom for the parole hearing. He expressed shock upon hearing Pope and her father’s conversations.
“It doesn’t seem like any accountability has been taken by the Pope family on this issue. They were blaming my family for the accident, saying it was their fault and not taking any responsibility or accountability for the fact that Ms. Pope was drunk driving without insurance,” he stated.
Christian Dow filed a civil lawsuit against Kesley and her father for negligence and wrongful death.
Pope informed the parole board that she is back in a treatment program and shared her history of drinking.
She started drinking at the age of 18 after moving to Costa Rica, where she was of legal drinking age. She claimed that both her parents, who were absent from the hearing, struggle with substance abuse problems.
If granted parole, she plans to live with her grandfather, who was present in the courtroom.
A decision on her parole is expected later in September, according to the board.
