A grieving mother told a courtroom that she no longer sleeps at night after losing her son to a hit-and-run driver. Jennifer Diedenhofen addressed a Las Vegas court on Monday following the death of her son Jeff Diedenhofen, 29, in May of last year.
Jeff was using a crosswalk when Stephon Watkins, 37, careered into the young businessman and then fled the scene. Watkins pleaded guilty to failure to stop at the scene of a crash involving death in April and was ordered to spend between four and 12 years behind bars.
Prior to his sentencing, Jennifer told the courtroom that she struggles to sleep at night in the wake of her son's death. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, she addressed the court and Watkins with her son's ashes and pictures of him surrounding her.
'When I close my eyes, I see my son, that smiling, bright, blue-eyed child who made me a mother being struck by that speeding car,' she said. 'Jeff is not defined by the way he died. He is defined by the way he lived and the love he brought into the lives of those who knew him, especially to me, his mother.'
Watkins and prosecutors struck a deal which saw them recommend the sentence that he received. District Judge Kathleen Delaney said: 'The only thing we could ever hope is that someone who did something so horrific and so tragic and so unnecessary would find a path forward when they are no longer incarcerated. Assuming they make it on the other side of that incarceration, to pay it forward to honor Jeff and to honor the life that was taken so unnecessarily.'
During the hearing, Watkins apologized, saying: 'I was trying to make a still-green light,' he cried as he did so. His public defender Marsella Saldanha told the court: 'Stephon is deeply remorseful, both for speeding that night and also for not staying at the scene with Jeff that night.'
John Diedenhofen, Jeff's father, said that based on the evidence Watkins was traveling between 79 and 86 mph when he hit his son in a 35 mph zone. He said: 'From the video evidence, I believe my son would have escaped injury and still be alive today if Mr. Watkins had braked, just lifted or even maintained his prior, already excessive, speed.'
Jennifer also commented on Watkins' light sentence, saying: 'A sentence has an end point. This loss does not.'
According to Jeff's LinkedIn profile, he was the co-founder of California-based firm ALTINAD, a financial solutions provider. An online memorial page dedicated to him was flooded with messages last year after his passing.
One person said: 'Jeff was a light in our lives—kind-hearted, full of energy, and deeply loved. At just 29, his journey was tragically cut short, leaving behind a void that words can scarcely fill. Yet in his short time with us, Jeff made a lasting impact. He will be remembered for his infectious laughter, generous spirit, and unwavering love for those around him.'
Another added: 'I wish we had more time together, more chances to just hang out and be cousins. But I am grateful for the memories I do have, and for the stories that keep him alive in all of us. He left a mark on everyone who knew him. He mattered more than words can say. And no matter the distance or time apart, he will always be my family.'
