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Drunk driver sentenced to 12 years in crash that killed vet in 2015

The drunk driver was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday.

John McClintock -- the man accused of driving the wrong way down Interstate 35 in Round Rock and striking and killing a veteran on Veteran's Day in 2015 -- was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to intoxication manslaughter, a jury ruled Friday.

McClintock killed Domonick Turner while driving drunk.

Before the jury announced their decision, they stepped out to the courtroom to ask McClintock, "What was your most shameful moment?"

McClintock said, "driving drunk," before the jury returned back into the room to deliberate.

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The defense started their closing arguments Friday by saying that McClintock accepts responsibility for his actions, and has been sober for two years now. The defense said McClintock tells his stories to others at AA meetings regularly to prevent tragedies such as this from happening again.

Dale Turner, Domonick's father, said, "Everything he [McClintock] did the lawyer told him to do. I think he's just trying to play the system."

The prosecution then said the jury does not need to feel sorry for McClintock because he is not the victim. They went on to say that McClintock will have life after prison, but Turner will not.

After the jury decided McClintock to serve 12 years in prison, Turner's mother, Sharon, took the stand to speak directly to the man who caused her son's death.

"I don't know what you see at night before you go to bed, but I see my son." she Turner said as she fought back tears. "Domonick was a gift... and was deeply loved."

The Turner family is expected to head back to their home in South Carolina, Friday.

"We know it won't be our son back---he was a wonderful kid he really was. It was still good. But hopefully, now we can try to be okay. The people in the area will hopefully realize that drinking and driving isn't the way to go, that there will be consequences too many people have been put on probation and maybe it's not gonna happen anymore," Dale Turner said.

The Turners say it will be six years until McClintock can be eligible for parole. They said they will return if and when that day comes.

Follow reporter Nicole Rosales for updates from the courtroom:

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