Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Mary Christine Rajala addresses Ryan Orzechowicz during his sentencing hearing Thursday while holding a photo of her daughter, Jennifer Rajala. Orzechowicz was sentenced to seven years and two months to 15 years in prison for driving in an October crash in Chassell that killed Rajala and her cousin, Lacey Rajala.

HOUGHTON — The Covington man responsible for a November vehicle crash in Chassell that killed two women was sentenced to seven years and two months to 15 years in prison in Houghton County Circuit Court Friday.

The sentencing hearing for Ryan Orzechowicz, 35, included more than 20 minutes of statements from families of the two victims — Jennifer Rajala, 35, of Covington and her cousin Lacey Rajala, 30, of Chassell.

“You are 100% responsible for the deaths of two beautiful and talented young women who had their whole life in front of them,” Lacey Rajala’s father, David Rajala, said in a statement read by her stepmother. “I don’t feel you are entitled to have anything comfortable in your life again. And any punishment you receive will not be enough.”

Orzechowicz had gone to the Bonfire with Jennifer when they ran into Lacey, who she had not seen in years, family members said. Lacey offered to let them stay at her house in Chassell for the night rather than drive back.

He was driving westbound about 100 miles per hour on the Chassell-Painesdale Road. At the intersection with U.S. 41, his car failed to stop, taking flight. It ran off the road, landing in a wooded area and catching fire.

Orzechowicz pleaded no contest in June to two counts of operating while intoxicated – causing death, a 15-year felony.

As part of the agreement, two counts of reckless driving causing death were dropped. Family members urged the judge to depart from the plea agreement and impose a tougher sentence; the concurrent sentences should instead be served consecutively, they said.

Orzechowicz didn’t tell police Lacey Rajala was also in the car until nearly 40 minutes after the crash, only mentioning Jennifer and himself, said Lacey Rajala’s mother. She read a statement on behalf of herself, Lacey’s father, his wife, Lacey’s three siblings, and Lacey.

“There was a chance she could have survived with a broken pelvis, ribs and arms, but he chose to let her burn alive,” she said. “…The defendant knowingly raced his car and his passengers into certain death. After he survived, he somehow chose not to help Lacey several times. He ended her life.”

Mary Christine Rajala, the mother of Jennifer Rajala, stood in front of the jury box and held up a framed photo of her daughter. She demanded Orzechowicz look at it; he looked down at the table, a position he maintained throughout the other victim impact statements.

“There are so many losses that you have created,” she said. “Jen’s entire family will never get over this, what you have caused … I have no words. I just want to know why, 10 months and four days ago, you took our daughter.”

Family members accused Orzechowicz of intentionally crashing the car, pointing to the lack of physical evidence that he braked and potential jealousy over Jennifer’s impending move. His attorney, Samuel Bennett, contested that.

Orzechowicz was unconscious for up to 10 minutes after the crash, Bennett said. After that, he was able to get Jennifer Rajala out of the car despite injuries.

“He moved as quickly as he could until the adrenaline wore off to help,” he said. “He knocked on doors, he did everything he could. I truly believe that after talking to him.”

Orzechowicz said he replays the event in his head each night to figure out what he could’ve done differently. Immediately after the accident, he tried to get both women out of the vehicle, he said.

“Unfortunately there was not enough time and I was still too injured,” he said. “I failed miserably and I have to live with that the rest of my life. I thank God every day that I am alive. However, my first prayer was to switch places.”

The lower bound of more than seven years was at the top of the minimum sentencing guideline range of 43 to 86 months. Prosecutor Paul LaBine had recommended that sentence, the highest available under the plea agreement.

“The defendant’s actions that caused the crash were horrible, but his lack of concern for the remaining people in the vehicle seems almost unforgivable,” he said.

Judge Timothy Brennan said he weighed factors on both sides.

Orzechowicz had family and community support from the area of Indiana where he grew up, and had been generous towards his family, Brennan said. In one instance, after his grandmother’s death, he moved in with his grandfather and cared for him for two years.

On the other hand, he said, the defendant is “100% responsible” for the deaths of two people. His actions also showed disregard for not just his passengers, but anyone else who happened to be on the road.

Orzechowicz received credit for 100 days already served. His restitution includes payments for funeral costs.