Two men were handed sentencing last Tuesday at the Sanders County Courthouse in Thompson Falls as Judge Kim Christopher began law in motion by accepting two plea bargains for men charged with different crimes.

Christopher pointed out to Kyle Kandel that he won't spend tens of years in jail but he will have to live out his life with the deaths of two people who were close to him. Kandel is charged with drunk driving and causing the deaths of his sister, Katie Rae Kandel, and a friend, Jeremiah Newman, March 31 on Highway 200 between Noxon and Heron. He was sentenced last Tuesday after striking a plea bargain that will suspend much of the sentence with the stipulations of public service, fines and good behavior.

Before Kandel was sentenced, another Sanders County man, Kenneth Michael Gifford was sentenced after reaching a plea agreement for his criminal endangerment charges. Police reports said Gifford - wanted as an absconder from probation - sped through two stop signs and endangered children playing near Plains Elementary School during Plains Day.

The terms of Kandel's plea agreement stipulated Kandel will be sentenced to the Department of Corrections for 15 years, with 15 years suspended for the first count. Kandel will be handed a 15-year prison term with 10 years suspended for the second vehicular homicide charge. The sentences imposed for both counts are to run concurrently.

According to court documents, Kandel will also pay fines to a total of $3,000 to Crime Victims Compensation, make restitution to Crime Victims Compensation, and attend alcohol treatment. The third count, a charge of criminal endangerment of a third person, was dismissed.

Kandel's attorney, public defender John Putikka, told Christopher his client has been “beating himself up” over the deaths of his sister and best friend and that he will punish himself more than the state can. Upon accepting the plea bargain, Christopher addressed Kandel, telling him the two deaths should inspire him to do something positive with his life and avoid alcohol abuse.

“I suspect that there has been a tremendous amount of grief,” Christopher said.

She told him that he should live his life from now on “in the name of his sister and best friend.” Kandel will also give a presentation to high school students on the dangers of drinking and driving for 15 years and he will also attend a MADD victim's impact panel.

County Attorney Coleen Magera has said in past hearings that Kandel had a prior alcohol-related misdemeanor offense. She said she had consulted with the victims and “they are very much in agreement with the plea agreement.”

Gifford's plea agreement sentences him to 10 years in the Department of Corrections with five of those suspended for one felony count of criminal endangerment and one year in the Sanders County Jail for the second charge - a misdemeanor count of eluding a peace officer. Gifford will be awarded time already served.

A second felony count of criminal endangerment and two misdemeanor counts of failure to stop at a stop sign were dismissed as stipulated with the plea agreement. Gifford's attorney, public defender Ethan Lerman, told Christopher his client struggles with chemical abuse and recommended Gifford under go treatment as part of his probation and sentence with the Department of Corrections.