Man will be sentenced in July for death of dog

From: Greeley Tribune, CO - May 31, 2003

Companion dog killed in drunken head-on crash with minivan

Story by Julio Ochoa

Eric Fifer will have to wait another month for the man who pleaded guilty of killing his dog in a drunken- driving accident to be sentenced in Weld District Court.

Kent Christian, 51, was scheduled to be sentenced in December, but because of a paperwork error the sentencing was delayed.

In February, Christian was supposed to be sentenced again, but he failed to appear in court. He was found later at the Larimer County Detention Center on another drunken-driving charge.

Fifer had hoped Christian would accept a greater charge in the drunken-driving case in exchange for the dismissal of a bond violation charge.

However, Christian declined to make a deal and wanted a jury trial for his bond violation charge. He will be sentenced July 21 for the drunken-driving charge.

On June 14, 2002, Christian was driving drunk, swerved over the center line and hit Fifer's minivan head-on near the intersection of Colo. 14 and Weld County Road 13.

Fifer, 34, is deaf and was traveling with his companion dog. The dog died at the scene and Fifer suffered neck and back injuries that still bother him.

Christian has other DUI charges in Fort Collins and a warrant for his arrest in Florida for failing to appear in court.

"I would have preferred that he would have added more charges to his first case," Fifer said through an interpreter. "He's never learned any lessons from what he has done. He needs to have some serious charges to make him learn something."

Fifer appeared in court Friday with a framed picture of his dog, Fancy, in his lap. He has spent almost a year following the case and said he wouldn't give up until it is finished.

"When the case is closed, I feel like I can move on with my life," he said. "Until then, I can't."

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