Kansas man convicted of drunk driving accident that killed his son

LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (WDAF) – A 35-year-old Tonganoxie man has been convicted of killing his 9-year-old son and injuring two children in an April 2022 car crash.

Shane Michael DeGraeve was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months by the Kansas Department of Corrections on Friday.

DeGraeve was found guilty of first-degree murder last month. He was also charged and found guilty of three counts of aggravated endangerment of a child and driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as being responsible for a car crash in rural Leavenworth County.

According to investigations by the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol, DeGraeve was speeding in the area of ​​Easton Road and Kansas Highway 92 when his pickup truck drove into a ditch and struck a sign.

DeGraeve’s son was thrown from the passenger seat of the truck. Upon closer examination, it was found that the truck was equipped with two “seatbelt dampers” designed to prevent the occupants from buckling up. The boy later died in hospital.

According to Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, two children were also in the back seat of the truck and were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Thompson also said that police officers smelled alcohol and other signs of impairment on DeGraeve’s breath.

When questioned, DeGraeve told authorities he was forced off the road, but investigators said that statement was refuted by witness testimony and evidence.

According to court documents, DeGraeve’s blood alcohol level was .083. The legal limit in Kansas is .08.