A high school volleyball player who had both legs amputated after a horrific car crash came face to face with the driver who caused her injuries at his sentencing hearing Thursday.
Janae Edmondson, 18, appeared in court wearing pants over her prosthetic legs as she and her mother shared a heartbreaking statement, asking the judge to impose the maximum sentence on the convicted driver.
The high school senior fromTennesseewas crossing an intersection with her family in St Louis in February last year when a speeding car collided with another. Shelost both her legs after being pinned between the two vehicles.
Daniel Riley, who was driving the car that hit Edmondson, was found guilty of assault in the second degree, armed criminal action, assault in the fourth degree, and driving without a license last month.
Riley, who was out on bond from a previous armed robbery charge when the horrendous crash happened, was sentenced to a maximum term of more than 18 consecutive years on Thursday, KSDKreported.
Janae Edmondson, 18,who had both legs amputated after a horrific car crash came face to face with the driver who caused her injuries at his sentencing hearing Thursday
Edmondson appeared in court wearing pants over her prosthetic legs as she and her mother shared a heartbreaking statement, asking the judge to impose the maximum sentence on the convicted driver
Daniel Riley, who was driving the car that hit Edmondson, was found guilty of assault in the second degree, armed criminal action, assault in the fourth degree, and driving without a license last month
'Her will to live was far greater than what Daniel Riley could have done to her. When we got to the hospital, we told her she'd have to fight harder than she's ever had to fight in her life,' Edmondson's mother Francine Edmondson said.
'She still has so much more to endure in her life, as we do. She'll face it head on, because that's who she is,' the mother said in tears.
At the trial last month, Edmondson saw the drive for the first time since the accident as she recalled the horrific details of what happened on February 18, 2024, the day she was supposed to play in a volleyball tournament.
'I was screaming because I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what. So, I tried standing up, but my dad and my mom said no, to stay still,' said Edmondson.
'I'm not the type of person to show my emotion because I want to protect my family and so when they first walked in, they just stared and didn't know what to say and so I made a joke to make it easier on them,
'I started to get depressed a lot because I was questioning why this had happened to me,' Edmondson added.
Edmondson, who graduated from high school in May, is still recovering as she pushes through prosthetic training every day.
She has continued having surgeries to help heal her legs and make them better suited to wear prosthetics, according to a fundraiser set up by her family.
She is now a part of Middle Tennessee State University's volleyball team and learned how to drive, according to local reports.
Edmondson recalled the horrific details of what happened on February 18, 2024, the day she was supposed to play in a volleyball tournament
Edmondson, who graduated from high school in May, is still recovering as she pushes through prosthetic training every day
At the time of the crash, Riley was put on house arrest with GPS monitoring as he awaited trial on the robbery charge but violated it dozens of times, KSDK reported.
In April 2022, Judge Bryan Hettenbach issued an order stating Riley could remain free and set a trial date for three months later.
The case never went to trial because the 'state was not ready,' according to court documents seen by KSDK.
By the time Edmondson was struck in February last year, court records show Riley had violated the terms of his bond close to 90 times.
The Edmondson family also sued the city of St Louis last year for failing to maintain a safe intersection, citing a yield sign that was inadequate because buildings blocked the view of oncoming traffic.
She has continued having surgeries to help heal her legs and make them better suited to wear prosthetics, according to a fundraiser set up by her family
Riley was on 11th and St. Charles when he didn't stop and crashed into another car before nailing the teenager in between a parked car
'St. Louis negligently permitted and maintained a dangerous condition to exist at the Intersection, creating an unreasonable risk of injury to pedestrians,' the filing noted.
Riley's mother, who rented the Audi he was driving, is named in the suit for allegedly allowing Riley to use the vehicle despite the fact he had 'exhibited habitual recklessness while driving automobiles,' according to court documents.
'The crash, involving a robbery suspect who had violated the terms of his bond dozens of times over several months, was completely preventable,' it continued.
Edmondson is seeking damages of more than $25,000 from Riley, his mother, Kimberly, the city, and the driver of the other vehicle, as well as EAN Holdings LLC, the car rental company that does business as Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore spoke to reporters after Riley's sentencing hearing, as he said: 'I hope this sentence brings some closure and a sense Mr. Riley was held accountable.'
