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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; John Charles Payne, who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/uncategorized/13249/luzerne-man-arrested-on-vehicular-homicide-other-charges-from-january-crash-2" target="_blank">DUI crash that killed Kevin Sendrick</a>, will spend the next 4 to 8 years in state prison, a judge ruled Monday.</p><p>Payne, 56, was sentenced by Luzerne County Judge William Amesbury on Friday in his courtroom in Penn Place. Along with his prison sentence, Payne must submit a DNA sample and pay nearly $8,000 in restitution.</p><p>Payne will serve his sentence at the state correctional facility in Camp Hill.</p><p>&#8220;I think it was a fair resolution,&#8221; said assistant district attorney Michelle Hardik. &#8220;We were happy with it; I think the family was happy with it and I think it finally brought about some closure for them.&#8221;</p><p>Amesbury also read several letters from some of Sendrick&#8217;s family members, all of which spoke fondly of him and their pain and grief due to his death.</p><p>Payne apologized to the family and became visibly emotional as he spoke.</p><p>&#8220;Me and Kevin was real close,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Kevin was a great friend.&#8221;</p><p>Payne explained he and Sendrick were celebrating the night of the crash, and acknowledged the two went out for drinks.</p><p>&#8220;Things got out of hand,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Bad decisions were made.&#8221;</p><p>Payne&#8217;s attorney Peter Moses said while the sentencing was the first time Payne has publicly apologized, &#8220;that doesn&#8217;t mean in any way that he has not wanted to in the last 12 to 13 months.&#8221;</p><p>Maureen Schoonover, one of Sendrick&#8217;s sisters, didn&#8217;t believe Payne was truly sorry.</p><p>&#8220;Not at all,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Schoonover said she still cries every day for the loss of her brother. Despite not believing Payne&#8217;s apology, she was satisfied with his sentence.</p><p>&#8220;I believe that justice was served for my brother today,&#8221; she said.</p><p>At approximately 3 a.m. Jan. 3, 2015, Payne was the driver of a pickup truck that crashed on Division Street in Pringle. Officers arrived to find the truck off the roadway and discovered the passenger, later identified as Sendrick, unresponsive in the passenger seat. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.</p><p>Police also said Payne exhibited signs of intoxication when police talked to him at the scene.</p><p>Payne was led out of the courtroom by members of the Luzerne County Sheriff&#8217;s Department, and later escorted out of the building in shackles and handcuffs. With his hood over his head, he was silent as he got into a police vehicle to begin his sentence.</p><p>Schoonover said it was too soon to forgive Payne.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;re supposed to forgive in order to go on,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But right now at this time, because it&#8217;s so close to my brother being gone, it&#8217;s still hard to forgive.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_John-Payne-4-20-15-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Payne </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_John-Payne-4-20-15-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Payne </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Payne: Things got &#8216;out of hand&#8217; on night of the crash</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

John Payne to serve 4 to 8 years for DUI crash that killed Kevin Sendrick