Man who killed bus driver with stolen truck in Greenwich Village crash gets up to 25 years in prison

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A man who killed an MTA bus driver while behind the wheel of stolen truck was sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison in prison Tuesday.

Domonic Whilby must serve two-thirds of the minimum for his manslaughter and vehicular homicide conviction, meaning he will be behind bars for at least five years.

Whilby, who is the nephew of actor and model Tyson Beckford, killed 49-year-old William Pena in the February 2014 crash. The married father of a teenage girl died instantly when his bus was slammed broadside by the nine-ton truck.

Police say Whilby was drinking at a bar before he stole a delivery truck in Manhattan and crashed into the bus on 14th Street in Greenwich Village around 5:30 a.m. Relatives and co-workers of the victim were at the sentencing.

The impact statements were emotional, and Whilby apologized to the family in court. He pleaded for a second chance and begged the judge for leniency, Pena's daughter said it was too late for that. The judge ultimately imposed the maximum sentence.

Whilby, of Griffin, Georgia, was treated for non-life threatening injuries at Bellevue Hospital after the accident. He reportedly had a 0.18 blood alcohol reading, twice the legal limit.

It was later revealed that he was kicked out of a nightclub moments before he stole the truck and drove away in a rage.

At Pena's funeral, the 17-year veteran driver was remembered as the kind of guy who cared about his passengers, talked to them, even inspired them.

"A guy was down on his luck, Pena gave him $300," co-worker Donald Yates said. "Which the guy came back a later time and returned the money."