A man who bought beer for his underage girlfriend the night she was involved in a hit-and-run accident that killed a 16-year-old boy in Tierrasanta was sentenced Friday to 100 days in jail.
Lewis Cornwell, 25, pleaded guilty in October to a misdemeanor charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor.
Chief Deputy City Attorney Mark Skeels said Cornwell was in Jessica Medsker's car when she struck and killed Alex Funk and accelerated away.
Medsker, 20, was not arrested until six days later.
"Lewis Cornwell never called for help," Mia Funk, the victim's mother, said in court. Speaking to the defendant, the mother said, "Your actions have led to the death of my son."
The victim's 14-year-old brother, Kevin Funk, told the defendant, "You are one of the main reasons my brother is not here today. His blood is on your hands."
City Attorney Mara Elliott urged Judge Peter Gallagher to fashion a sentence that would deter others from committing the same crime. Sadly, it is not unusual for adults to provide alcohol to minors, Elliott said.
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"Alcohol kills more youths than all drugs combined," she said.
Defense attorney Greg Turner told the judge that from the beginning, Cornwell wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
Cornwell stood and apologized to Funk's family.
"I'm incredibly sorry for what happened," Cornwell said. "I'm so sorry for your loss."
Skeels said surveillance video showed Cornwell looking over his shoulder as he bought beer for Medsker at a La Jolla restaurant the night of March 9.
After drinking for nearly two hours, the couple left and sometime later, Medsker hit Funk -- a student at Serra High School -- and narrowly missed his friend, who jumped out of the way, Skeels said.
Medsker was convicted of fatally striking the teenager and was sentenced to four years in prison.
Cornwell was charged in August.
