Assistant District Attorney Cara Landers and District Attorney Micheal Murray presented evidence that on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, Kavanaugh drove a pickup that struck and killed Patrick Morin, who was parked off the roadway towing a stranded vehicle outside of Goldthwaite. After the crash, Kavanaugh and a passenger fled the scene and went to a residence outside of Lometa.

The Texas Department of Public Safety conducted a crash investigation with the support assistance of the Mills County Sheriff’s Department, and Kavanaugh turned himself into law enforcement a day later after his passenger had contacted investigators.

In the wake of his death, Morin’s family advocated for stronger penalties for those who fail to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles, and those increased penalties went into effect in 2023.

“We are so honored to have advocated for justice for the family of Patrick Morin, and we hope that a sentence of this magnitude, despite a lack of criminal history on the part of Mr. Kavanaugh, can bring some comfort to the many lives that Mr. Morin touched,” Landers said. “We are proud to live in a community surrounded by law enforcement that thoroughly investigates crimes and allows us to pursue justice and we continually encourage those who drive on Texas roads to respect and honor the work of our first responders by following the law.”