Four local lives turned ‘upside down’ by one person’s choice to drive under the influence
- Jasz Garrett
- Nov 14, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 14, 2025
A Juneau family seeks closure through sentencing, but faces lifelong complications, financial instability
By Jasz Garrett
Juneau Independent
Kyle Walker, 41, was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison, with two years suspended, and five years of felony probation by Juneau Superior Court Judge Marianna Carpeneti.
“Joanna Tedford will never remember her father before your car struck him,” Carpeneti told Walker during the sentencing hearing at the Juneau courthouse.
Eleven months ago, Walker was driving on slick roads while intoxicated. He hit Nic Tedford when he lost control of his truck near the Auke Bay Ferry Terminal. Tedford’s wife, Meghann Tedford, said he was checking the mailbox at the end of their driveway and letting the dogs out, just as he did on any other night.
“A Monday night chore turned into lifelong impacts,” she said.
Walker had a blood alcohol content of more than .08%, according to court documents. Nic Tedford was transported to Bartlett Regional Hospital and then medevacked to a hospital in Portland, Oregon. He was in critical condition with broken bones and internal organ damage. He spent about five months outside of Alaska recovering and returned home to Juneau in May. Three of those months were spent at the Brain Rehab Network in Portland, improving his strength, balance, coordination and reaction times. Nic Tedford said he is still living with a traumatic brain injury.
Walker pleaded guilty to assault in the second degree, driving under the influence and driving with no motor vehicle liability insurance. Carpeneti, in addition to suspending two years of the three-year jail sentence, credited Walker with five months he served in confined treatment at a substance abuse facility after the collision. She also imposed a suspended fine of $50,000.
He is scheduled to turn himself in Feb. 11, allowing time for the Alaska Department of Corrections to consider an application to serve his time via a home electronic monitoring program rather than in jail.
“This is the best chance he has to earn money to pay restitution,” said August Petropulos, Walker’s defense attorney.
Walker’s probation conditions outline his responsibility to pay restitution to the Tedfords, who said his terrible decision forever changed their lives. Nic Tedford waited outside the courtroom with his family, friends and civil attorney on Wednesday afternoon.
“I want to be brave, but I don’t think I’ll be able to handle the sentencing,” he said. His wife and friends reassured him he would be fine. The couple prepared their victim impact statement one last time before entering the courtroom.
Inside, Nic Tedford held his three-year-old daughter close. Joanna Tedford sat between her parents, their heads leaning against hers.
An amended charging document not filed on time caused an overnight delay for sentencing. The defense and prosecution argued for the court to accept the sentencing they had agreed upon, with Walker entering a guilty plea.
The judge said she chose to proceed with the hearing on Wednesday, with the sentencing continued on Thursday, because the family had been impatiently waiting for a resolution. Carpeneti said normally, she would not have done so because she needed to review the charging document in advance.
“The silver lining is it gave me time to think about what I wanted to say and to read Mr. and Mrs. Tedford’s statements,” Carpeneti said. “What struck me most was the catastrophic loss, or at least the limiting of choices, that occurred because of this.”
She said Nic Tedford lost choices with his work and physical health since he is expected to face lifelong complications. On Wednesday, she asked if any members of the victim’s family wished to speak. Nic Tedford rose to address the judge.
“I feel like I have become a burden,” Nic Tedford told Carpeneti. “I used to work to provide for my family. I am terrified I will not be able to work again. I just want to provide for them.”
He said he continues to fight with his traumatic brain injury every day. He has become sensitive to light and noise, making it challenging for him to celebrate holidays and birthdays. He expressed frustration with his brain and his changed relationship with his daughter.
“I hate what this did to my family,” he said. “I feel like I’m broken.”
Nic Tedford said his family helped him through recovery and “they deserve the best me I can be.”
Meghann Tedford spoke after him, describing how the impact of Walker’s actions threw her family’s lives into uncertainty and disarray.
“We were a regular middle-class family,” Meghann Tedford told the judge.
She said her husband was expecting a pay raise this past spring through the City and Borough of Juneau’s wastewater utilities division. They are now living off their savings and the generosity of the community, as insurance premiums quickly drain their funds. A GoFundMe established for Nic Tedford has raised $50,766 out of a $60,000 goal. The family has also filed a civil lawsuit against Walker.
“Every night my daughter asks if I have to go to work the next day,” Meghann Tedford said, her voice breaking. She said the choice was stolen from her to be a stay-at-home mom and she lost her job as a nanny. The night of the accident was the first night her daughter spent away from her.
She said she does not know when her husband will be able to care for their daughter on his own due to the side effects of his traumatic brain injury. Meghann Tedford said they planned to have multiple children and they were close to buying a house. She said they still do not know the extent of his cognitive dysfunction and she is his 24-hour caretaker.
“I do not know how to calculate all the lost hopes and dreams,” she said.
After she finished speaking, her husband embraced her.
Walker is no longer a commercial pilot because of the felony and works as a mechanic to pay restitution. During Wednesday’s hearing, the judge told him he had the opportunity to talk, although he did not have to. She added he could also wait to speak until Thursday morning, when Walker’s sentencing would take place.
Walker said his statement was long overdue and asked to speak on Wednesday.
“On Dec. 2, 2024, a man I know quite well made the most selfish, devastating decision of his life,” he said. Walker said he did not once consider that he may have had too much to drink before driving to the grocery store. He said his truck slid while he tried to avoid oncoming traffic when he hit “an innocent Nic Tedford.”
“What I’m telling you, you already know. I’m so sorry for all the pain,” he said.
He said he wanted the family to know he hasn’t consumed a drop of alcohol since that dark, snowy night.
“I don’t expect you to ever forgive me because I won’t ever forgive myself,” Walker said through tears.
After the Wednesday hearing, Nic Tedford hugged his family and friends. His civil attorney, Mark Choate, said it was rare for the defendant to apologize. Nic Tedford said he still hadn’t forgiven Walker but hoped to.
“I felt it from the heart,” Nic Tedford said. “I feel it was a true apology and sincere.”
He said it meant a great deal to him to share how his family had been affected. He said he was pleased he could speak despite feeling nervous. He said he spent a lot of time practicing his victim impact statement. Nic Tedford was not at Thursday’s sentencing hearing.
“He wanted to personally walk away with memories of Mr. Walker’s remorse,” his wife said.
Meghann Tedford said she is amazed by her husband’s progress and what her family has overcome, but he still has a long way to go. She said she feels ambiguous grief and is scared of their financial future.
“I don’t know now,” she said after the sentencing. “It feels like great harm was done to my husband and my family, and it doesn’t feel like this changes that.”
The judge said Walker’s journey is just beginning.
• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz@juneauindependent.com or (907) 723-9356.
