Wilcox receives 17.5-year sentence for fatal accident

A Delaware Superior Court judge has sentenced a Millsboro man to 17.5 years in prison for his role in a Christmas Eve 2022 crash that left three people dead.

Jason Wilcox, 48, was convicted by a jury on 10 charges in November, including three counts of manslaughter, three counts of first-degree assault, one count of third-degree assault, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and failing to report an accident. Judge Mark Conner sentenced Wilcox Jan. 17 to three years on each of the manslaughter charges, two-and-a-half years on each of the first-degree assault charges and one year for leaving the scene of an accident. He faced mandatory minimums of two years on each of the manslaughter and first-degree assault charges.

On the night of the crash, Wilcox was driving a 2016 Range Rover on Route 9 when he crashed into a 2008 Honda Odyssey driven by Jason Wright that was attempting to turn from Minos Conaway Road onto Route 9. Following the crash, prosecutors say Wilcox made no attempt to provide aid or call 9-1-1, and instead, he left the scene. 

Prosecutors say Wilcox was driving the car at nearly 80 mph, nearly 30 mph over the posted 50 mph speed limit. In his testimony, Wright said he looked both ways to make sure traffic was clear and did not see Wilcox’s car coming. Wilcox’s attorney, Michael Abram, argued that Wright was partially responsible for the accident as he pulled out in front of a moving vehicle. As Wright pulled the Odyssey out onto the roadway, Wilcox collided with the Odyssey on the rear driver’s side. 

After impact, Gerald Huss, 74, and Jovie Wright, 9, were both ejected from the car and died. Jessica Guida, 35, died as a result of her injuries. Fellow passengers Wright, Debra Huss and Christian Guida were treated for serious injuries and survived. A seventh passenger, Cole Wright, sustained minor injuries. 

Wilcox was charged with manslaughter for each of the three people who died, and three counts of first-degree assault for the injuries to Huss, Jason Wright and Guida. The charge of third-degree assault covers the injuries to Cole Wright. 

Huss provided the most emotional of the victim impact statements read at sentencing. She said the family was out that night looking at Christmas lights around the Lewes area when the crash happened. She said all the surviving family members are suffering from post-traumatic stress and have had flashbacks and panic attacks, particularly around the Christmas season.

Huss told short stories about each of the three who died. She said her husband, Gerald, had retired and was looking forward to traveling.

“He deserved to have a long retirement, and Jason Wilcox took that all away,” she said. “It’s so lonely without him. I will never recover from what Jason Wilcox destroyed.”

Huss said Guida, her daughter, was working in healthcare and was looking forward to her first anniversary with Wright. She said since the accident, Guida’s children have suffered from depression. 

Finally, Jovie Wright was a curious kid who loved unicorns, Huss said. She said Jovie was so happy and looking forward to Christmas. 

“Jason Wilcox chose to behave recklessly,” Huss said. “He shows no signs of caring about anyone but himself.”

Deputy Attorney General Barzilai Axelrod said of the family, “The hole that is in their hearts cannot be fixed by what happens in this courtroom.”

He then added, “Actions have consequences. Mr. Wilcox made his choices. He chose to speed. He chose to leave that scene. He walked past the carnage and wreckage he caused.”

Axelrod asked for a 22-year sentence, saying that Wilcox has a long history of speeding violations and is an unsafe driver who has shown no remorse for what happened. In addition, Axelrod said Wilcox not only left the scene of the accident, but when police questioned him on his involvement with the accident, he intentionally misled the officers on his whereabouts. 

Abram started his remarks by saying, “Clearly, this is a tragedy.” He said this was an accident where Wilcox was not totally at fault and that Wilcox plans to appeal his verdict. Abram asked for the minimum sentence allowed, six years. 

Speaking on his own behalf, Wilcox apologized for the accident and said that he could not excuse his own actions that night. He said he felt terrible for everything that happened and how it affected both the Huss/Wright family, and his own. 

“I wish things would have turned out differently,” he said. 

In imposing his sentence, Conner said Wilcox’s actions that night were inexplicable and cowardly.

“Mr. Wilcox, your actions devastated a single family in an instant,” Conner said.