Mason sentenced to six years

An Ohio woman will serve six years in prison after crashing her vehicle in Jay County, resulting in the death of a passenger in her car.

Brianna F. Mason, 24, Sidney, was sentenced Wednesday to six years in Indiana Department of Correction for a Level 4 felony for causing death when operating a vehicle while intoxicated. She also received one-year sentences for two Level 6 felonies for criminal recklessness.

She pleaded guilty Jan. 29. Her sentences will be served concurrently.

Mason was also originally charged with reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony, and operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, a Class C misdemeanor. Those charges were dismissed Wednesday.

Mason’s charges stem from an incident at 2:20 a.m. Aug. 14, 2023, at the intersection of Indiana 67 and Indiana 26 just west of Portland. Mason's vehicle went off Indiana 26 at a high rate of speed and rolled several times, ejecting four passengers.

Taylor L. LeMaster, 20, Berne, died from injuries sustained in the crash.

Two other passengers, Mercedes A. Ryan of Anderson and Araia L. Mullins of Chesterfield, had extensive injuries.

Mason displayed “red, watery and bloodshot eyes” and slurred her words when police arrived on scene, according to a Jay County Sheriff’s Office report. Her results on a preliminary breath test came in at 0.086%, and her blood alcohol level tested soon after came in at 0.071%. (The legal limit is 0.08%.)

According to event data recorder information obtained from the vehicle, it was traveling 87 mph about five seconds before the crash. Upon impact, the vehicle was traveling 73 mph. (The speed limit is 55 mph.)

Several of LeMaster’s family members and a friend spoke at the hearing Wednesday in favor of a longer sentence for Mason.

“I’ll never get to tell him how proud of him I am,” said LeMaster’s father, Mark Bales. “There’s nothing that can bring him back, there’s no justice that case ease the pain …”

“(Brianna) wasn’t just a little careless,” said Kelley LeMaster, a brother of the deceased. “Drunk driving is not a mistake, it is a choice.”

Jay County chief public defender Brandon Murphy asked Donte Alexander, Mason’s friend, if Mason’s behavior the night of the accident was out of character for her. 

Alexander said yes, with a few people in the crowd scoffing out loud at his answer.

Answering questions from Jay County chief deputy prosector Zech Landers, Alexander said he never saw Mason get behind the wheel after drinking or smoking marijuana.

Also speaking in favor of Mason receiving a lesser sentence, Mason’s mother, Marry Layton, said she used to interact with her daughter every day. 

“Bri’s been good, she’s never been in trouble in her life,” Layton said. “She pays for (this) every day …”

Breanna Barker, who said she was LeMaster’s romantic partner, also talked about LeMaster and Mason’s relationship, saying every time she saw LeMaster, she also saw Mason. Answering a question about whether she had forgiven Mason, Barker said she didn’t blame her for LeMaster’s death.

“It was an accident,”  she said. “I was there when she broke down. She was just as hurt as anybody else.”

She added she doesn’t believe LeMaster would want Mason to go to jail or prison, but she suggested the court place her on house arrest, saying LeMaster’s family “deserves something.”

Mason read aloud a statement to the court, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“I understand my actions have caused irreparable harm,” she said. “I am committed to making amends in any way possible …”

“(That night) turned into a horrible nightmare for us all, but I have to live with it,” she added.

She expressed her apologies and asked LeMaster’s family to find it in their hearts to forgive her.

Landers asked the court to consider one-year sentences for each of the Level 6 felonies, with a six-year sentence for the Level 4 felony. He asked for the full sentences to be served at Indiana Department of Correction.

“The loss created by Brianna’s conduct goes beyond the death of Taylor,” he said.

Landers also said a domestic violence case was filed against Mason in Ohio while she was out on bond for this case, suggesting that is an aggravating factor.

Murphy pointed to Mason’s age and, prior to the accident, lack of a criminal history.

“What led to this was a series of mistakes,” he said, saying what she did was out of character and that she has expressed remorse for her actions.

Jay Superior Court Judge Gail Dues said she didn’t feel the mitigating or aggravating factors outweighed one or the other, and she gave Mason the advisory sentences for each of her charges, with her sentences to be served concurrently.

She also recommended Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles suspend Mason’s driver’s license for three years.

Following the hearing, Dominique Bales thanked the prosecution for its work in the case but said she felt as though the justice system is broken in cases such as Mason’s.

“I don’t feel like we got enough justice … for my son’s death,” Dominique Bales said. “I don’t think we’ll ever get it, though.”

“A six-year sentence is not justice for taking someone’s life,” added Mark Bales.