A Nebraska judge sentenced Eswin Mejia to 19-20 years in prison for the vehicular homicide of Sarah Root, bringing closure to a case that spanned a decade after Mejia fled the country following the 2016 crash.
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Mejia was also charged with a second count for failing to appear in court and received 1-2 years. He will receive 345 days' credit for time already served.
The emotional courtroom was packed with Root's family and friends, many wearing the same #strong t-shirts they made after she died in 2016.
Sarah's mother, Michelle Root, delivered a powerful testimony during the sentencing hearing. She said her daughter came to her in a dream and asked her to tell Mejia that she forgives him.
"It meant a lot to me to hear him take accountability and say he was a coward, and for him to state that meant a lot to me," Michelle Root said.
Mejia was arrested and charged immediately after the crash in 2016, but after he bonded out of jail, he disappeared and eventually fled to Honduras. He was located in 2025 and returned to Nebraska, where he pleaded no contest to vehicular homicide.
Mejia's attorney read a letter on his behalf, recounting what happened that night and apologizing for his actions.
"When I ran away, I was thinking only of myself. Now, I have children of my own and can grasp the anguish a parent feels as a result of their child's death, especially when it is caused by another person's reckless conduct," the letter stated.
Scott Root, Sarah's father, thanked the Trump Administration and law enforcement for their work in bringing Mejia back to the United States for sentencing.
"Tell me when do they fly an ICE plane with US Marshals from Honduras to Omaha, Nebraska, it don't happen. It did!" Scott Root said.
After the sentencing, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst FaceTimed the Root family.
"We can continue to love Sarah, but a new chapter can begin now," Ernst said.
"Yep!" Scott Root responded.
"You better believe it," Michelle Root added.
The prosecutor said Mejia's truck was traveling 71 miles per hour when it struck Root's SUV. His blood alcohol level was 0.179%.
The Root family says nothing will ever take away their pain or bring back their daughter, but now they can look back on Sarah's memory and celebrate the good times they had with her.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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