Kansas father who killed his son in a drunk driving accident sentenced to 11 years in prison

LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (KCTV) – The father responsible for a drunk driving crash in rural Kansas that killed his nine-year-old son has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Leavenworth County District Attorney Todd Thompson announced Friday, May 31, that Shane M. Degraeve, 35, of Tonganoxie, was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for a drunk driving accident that killed his son.

On April 4, Degraeve was found guilty of first-degree murder, three counts of endangering a child and driving under the influence, according to court records.

At the sentencing hearing on Friday, the Leavenworth County judge ordered Degraeve to spend 135 months – 11 years and three months – in state prison.

Court documents noted that on September 4, 2022, the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol were called to K-192 and 243rd Street on reports of a collision. When they arrived, they found Degraeve was driving a 2022 GMC Sierra 3500 pickup truck and was unable to negotiate the road.

Emergency responders reported that Degraeve’s pickup truck went into a ditch, struck a sign and overturned. His nine-year-old son was sitting in the front seat without a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle. He later died from the impact. The two passengers in the back seat, also children, were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

According to court documents, the computer in Degraeve’s truck showed he was traveling about 70 miles per hour when he crashed. At the scene, police officers reported the smell of alcohol on his breath and that he was showing signs of impairment.

Degraeve told police officers he was forced off the road, but witness statements and evidence suggested otherwise. He admitted to drinking a beer before getting behind the wheel of the truck, but his blood alcohol level was 0.083.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families involved in this incident. DeGraeve’s responsibilities as a father include obeying traffic laws, avoiding driving under the influence and ensuring the safety of his children,” Thompson said. “Seat belt silencers, sometimes used in vehicles, can pose greater risk than benefit, as in this case where such a silencer contributed to a child not wearing his seat belt and tragically losing his life.”

Police officers also noticed that the truck had two seat belt “silencers” that prevented passengers from fastening their seat belts.

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