The Photo Above: Jake Snyder, left, wipes away a tear and he and Atlanta Thrashers' Dany Heatley listen to Synder's father speak in an Atlanta courtroom, Friday, Feb. 4, 2005. Heatley, 24, was sentenced Friday to three years of probation and ordered to give 150 public speeches about the dangers of speeding, after pleading guilty to charges in the automobile death of teammate Dan Snyder, Jake Snyder's brother. Heatley pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane and speeding for the Sept. 29, 2003, crash in Atlanta that killed Dan Snyder. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Heatley Thanks Snyder's Family
By DANIEL YEE, Associated Press Writer
Feb 5, 2005, 12:48
ATLANTA - A day after being sentenced to probation, Atlanta Thrashers star Dany Heatley thanked the family of teammate Dan Snyder for urging a judge to keep him out of jail. Heatley had pleaded guilty in Snyder's death in a 2003 car crash.
"I made a mistake," Heatley said at a news conference Saturday. "I respect the judge's decision and the judicial system and will take the punishment and move on."
Heatley said that every day he thinks of the crash that killed his 25-year-old friend.
"The scars will never completely heal but you have to move on in your life," he said. "I'm really thankful for the continuing support of the Snyder family."
Snyder family members testified that they did not want Heatley to go to jail or lose his hockey career. Heatley could have faced up to 20 years in prison for the initial charges.
Heatley was sentenced to three years' probation. He pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane and speeding. The only felony charge — first-degree vehicular homicide — was dropped along with a charge of reckless driving.
The hockey star also was ordered to give 150 public speeches about the dangers of speeding. The talks are to be held at schools, colleges and public events where young people will attend. He also may not drive except for work, medical purposes, food shopping or his speeches.
"I see the speeches as a positive thing," he said. "I'm going to relive this every day, no matter what. So if I can talk to a kid and save him from something, that's a positive thing."
Heatley said he will tell young people that speeding is very dangerous and that cars "should be treated with respect."
The judge also said the court must approve the kind of car Heatley drives. The car cannot have more than six cylinders and will have a mechanism to prevent it from exceeding 70 mph.
Heatley was driving a Ferrari convertible on a curved road in a residential area when it ran into a brick pillar and iron fence. Authorities said Heatley had consumed some alcohol but was not intoxicated. Snyder, a passenger, died after several days in a coma.
Heatley was the MVP of the 2003 NHL All-Star game and rookie of the year in the 2001-02 season.
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