An Illinois man’s guilty plea and sentencing in state court Thursday provided some closure to the family of Corky Walker, who died in a fiery crash on Interstate 75 on June 14, 2000. Walker’s parents and widow said it never should have taken so long for Paul W. Schirmer to be sentenced.

Schirmer was driving a tractor-trailer in the northbound lane of I-75 when his vehicle hit another semi, crossed the median and rammed the UPS truck that Roy “Corky” Walker III had parked in the emergency lane just behind the driver’s side door. Walker was killed instantly. Schirmer’s young son also died in the wreck.

“I’m just so sorry,” Schirmer said. “I don’t know what else I can do. I wish I could change that day, I really do, and I’m so sorry.”

Walker’s widow, Kristen, and his parents, Roy and Betty Walker, also took the podium and made comments before State Court Judge Larry Mims imposed Schirmer’s sentence.

“I want to say what courage it took for Mr. Schirmer to come here today,” Roy Walker said. “I really believe he knows how I feel.”

The teary-eyed men shook hands.

But, for Corky’s father, the most important thing he wanted to hear was Schirmer’s first-hand account of the events of that day.

Schirmer said his son was watching a video in the sleeper of the rig just before the crash.

“He came up and gave me a hug and told me he loved me,” Schirmer recounted.

Schirmer said he had the cruise control on and that he remembered approaching the truck in front of him. He said that he couldn’t stop and the collision with that truck caused his steering to malfunction.

“It was like riding on ice,” Schirmer said.

Schirmer said he knew his truck had struck Walker’s just behind the passenger side door. He said he exited his rig and saw his son lying face down on the ground and that his son was “glowing” because he was doused in fuel. He grabbed his son by the seat of his pants and got burned himself.

“I saw my son burning up,” Schirmer said.

Roy and Betty Walker took issue with both how long it took the case to be resolved and how little communication they were able to have with District Attorney Paul Bowden.

“I just want to thank (Georgia State Patrol trooper) Don Whitaker for following through on his promise,” Betty Walker said. “I don’t know why Paul Bowden wouldn’t prosecute this case and it’s been five and a half years.

“I feel Mr. Bowden owes Corky’s family an apology for treating us this way.”

Walker’s widow, Kristen, said her husband was 32 years old when he died, that they had married in March 2000, that he was “good looking, smart and well-liked.”

“He was the love of my life,” she told Mims. “I had known him since I was 16 years old.

“I am completely exhausted and I am ready for closure.”

Schirmer was originally charged with felony vehicular homicide, which threw the case into superior court. Bowden, who returned a call from his office in Irwin County Thursday afternoon, said he didn’t have the paperwork in front of him but believed that the evidence had not been sufficient to prosecute Schirmer on the felony counts.

“I know there was no way we could pursue it as a felony,” Bowden said. “I think it would have been a difficult case to win with a jury and even to pursue as a misdemeanor.”

The case was referred to State Court Solicitor Bob Richbourg for prosecution in state court. Richbourg, according to Thursday’s testimony, removed himself from the case because he serves as an attorney for the driver of the vehicle that Schirmer first rear-ended that day.

According to Bowden, state statute provides that another prosecutor can be assigned to the case. Patricia Hull with the Attorney General’s office was assigned to the case and she took over as prosecutor. Hull said in court Thursday that she received an administrative order from Richbourg in May 2005 after the case was transferred to state court in January 2005.

Mims said the proposed plea agreement was discussed with Walker’s family members and Schirmer. The offer was for Schirmer to plead guilty to charges of failure to control a vehicle, failure to maintain lane and driving on the wrong side of the road.

In an unusual twist, Mims called a recess and ordered probation officials to conduct a drug test before he made his final decision on the sentence he would propose.

“If Mr. Schirmer fails to pass the drug test, I will not accept the plea of Mr. Schirmer,” Mims said. “If Mr. Schirmer fails the drug test, we will have a trial Dec. 6.”

When court reconvened in the case approximately one hour later, he stiffened the condition of probation he had given Schirmer. Mims sentenced Schirmer to serve three consecutive 12-month sentences on the three charges, but allowed him to serve the sentences on probation with certain conditions.

Schirmer was ordered to report to his probation officer by telephone during the term of his sentence. Mims also ordered him to return to Tifton to report in person four times during the first year and two times during the second year of his sentence. He was also ordered to undergo biweekly drug and alcohol testing in the state where he resides and have the results sent to his Tifton probation officer.

“This has been a very long and frustrating process for the victims and I’m sure it has been long for you, Mr. Schirmer,” Mims said. “It is a very tragic situation … I am concerned it has taken this long to get here.

“I don’t know what all the reasons are. I wish I had the answer for you.”

To contact city editor Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.