In a courtroom, the traumatic sight of the motorist who killed 22-year-old Shyayn Bass was too much for her distraught mother. She tasked her sister, the deceased’s aunt, with speaking on her behalf during the sentencing of the driver.
“His face would just amplify the pain,” Judy Anderson, torn by grief, managed to express as she cried while reading from Alice Von Oy’s statement discussing the effect the tragedy had on the victims. “I refuse to view his face.”
Von Oy referred to Ali Gonzalo Brandy Aponte, who was sentenced by District Court Judge Eric Johnson to spend six to 20 years in a Nevada prison following his plea of guilt to the serious offence of DUI leading to death.
Anderson’s wish for Aponte to receive a longer sentence was supported by Bass’s cousin, grandfather, and father, who also addressed Johnson and Aponte before the sentencing.
Bass, who was admired and loved by many, was an aspiring author with publishing credits to her name. According to her family, Bass was preparing to start a job with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and was planning to relocate to New York City to further her writing career.
An emotional Vanessa Bass, her cousin, fondly remembered her, adding, “She was such a radiant personality.”
On December 2, Shyayn Bass was headed to meet a friend when she was hit head-on by Aponte, who had been driving recklessly and under the influence. Subsequently, she had to be rushed to the hospital, where she was kept alive long enough for her departed family and friends to bid farewell.
After the hearing, her father shared how her organ donations aided several people, including a 4-year-old girl, and three women aged 29, 33, and 72.
The grieving father told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he now treasures a nose ring she used to wear, and still keeps her possessions such as her guitar and cowboy boots.
Shyayn had adopted two kittens and had written a book called “Lex’s Halloween,” a story about a black kitten. Her family discovered a collection of notebooks filled with content for her next book, which they hope to publish.
During the hearing, Bass’ father highlighted the immeasurable loss the family had suffered because of Aponte’s act.
The late Shyayn Bass’s grandfather stressed the irrevocable damage Aponte had done and mentioned that Shyayn had no chance of survival due to the severity of the incident.
Despite the remorse expressed by Brandy Aponte, and due to his zero prior criminal history, he received a prison sentence which the family believes to be insufficient given their irreparable loss.
Bass Jr. expressed his dissatisfaction with the legal system, stating, “I just wish our judicial system would be more tough on offenders that get behind the wheel and kill somebody.”
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