A tragic incident occurred on Halloween in 2021 when a drunk driver, Kesley Pope, mowed down a mother and her son in Orem, Utah. Pope, who was 22 at the time and twice over the legal driving limit, crashed into Season Dow, 43, and her 16-year-old son Toby as they were stranded on the shoulder of Interstate 15 after running out of gas. Season Dow died at the scene, while Toby succumbed to his injuries after being airlifted to a hospital.
Pope’s callous behavior continued even after the accident, as she made heartless comments to her father, Jeff Pope, blaming the victims for their own deaths. In a series of phone calls obtained by local news outlet KUTV, Pope and her father callously discussed the incident, with Pope even expressing relief that it was her first offense.
During a recent parole hearing, Pope tearfully apologized for her actions and the hurtful remarks made by her family. She expressed deep remorse for the pain she caused the Dow family and acknowledged that the accident was entirely her fault. She begged the parole board for a chance at parole, promising to take full responsibility for her actions.
Christian Dow, Season’s wife and Toby’s husband, was present at the hearing and expressed shock at Pope’s lack of accountability. He emphasized the need for Pope to serve her full sentence and take responsibility for her actions. Christian Dow has also filed a civil lawsuit against Pope and her father for negligence and wrongful death.
Pope revealed during the hearing that she started drinking at the age of 18 after moving to Costa Rica, where she was of legal drinking age. She attributed her drinking habits to her parents, who she claimed also struggled with substance abuse. If granted parole, Pope plans to live with her grandfather.
The parole board is expected to make a decision on Pope’s parole request by late September. The outcome of the hearing will determine whether Pope will be released from prison or continue serving her sentence for the deadly crash.
