News Local/State

Chaos In Urbana Court After Man Sentenced In Death

 

A chaotic scene developed in a Champaign County courtroom as an Urbana man was sent to prison for striking a University of Illinois student with his pickup truck and killing her.

Willie Craft, who is 59, was sentenced to three and a half years Wednesday for reckless homicide.

According to The News-Gazette, his son, 30-year-old Willie Craft Jr., was then ordered to jail for six months for contempt of court after yelling profanities at Champaign County Judge Richard Klaus.
 
The elder Craft drove his truck into 20-year-old Mimi Liu of Chicago in October 2013 as she walked to class. Another student was injured.
 
Craft reportedly suffered extremely low blood sugar because of diabetes.  He apologized several times Wednesday.
 
Liu's father, Zhi Liu, said his family will forever be incomplete.