Aiden Saber cried Monday in a Pittsburgh courtroom as he apologized for killing two teenage passengers and ruining the lives of their families last December when he crashed his SUV into a tree.
“I stand before you today fully aware of my actions and the irreversible pain I have caused,” said Saber, 19, of Richland, who sometimes paused as he shook with emotion. “Every day, I am reminded of the lives affected by my choices … I am truly sorry for the pain I have caused.”
Saber, clad in a yellow fluorescent Allegheny County Jail jumpsuit, agreed to a deal that will send him to prison for 2 1/2 to 5 years, with credit for 267 days of time served, for the deaths of Jonathan Tourney, 14, and Taylor Orlowski, 18. Two years of probation will follow.
He pleaded guilty to 10 crimes, including homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and DUI. Prosecutors withdrew four charges, including aggravated assault by vehicle.
Saber’s tearful courtroom plea for forgiveness — the first time he has spoken publicly about the fatal Christmas weekend crash — punctuated a year during which many have grappled with the teens’ deaths on Dec. 23, 2023.
Some of those who attended the hearing in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court spoke about the impact of the crash and hurled barbed comments at Saber.
“You will be able to continue your life. You’ll be able to do the things young people do,” said Stephanie Block, whose daughter was friends with Taylor. “All you needed to do is listen to your friends and slow down.”
Other friends and relatives of the two teens lamented over what they called stolen opportunities.
“My nephew, even at 14, had so much to offer,” said Joe Merhaut, a Pine neighbor who read a statement from Jeff Tourney, Jonathan’s uncle. “And he had big dreams for the future.”
Katherine Finley, testifying by video, said she used to plan future weddings with her friend Taylor.
“We joked about being bridesmaids and what type of dresses we want, how many children we wanted,” Finley said. “What haunts me the most is that none of this matters. I will never get to meet my best friend’s kids or see her fall in love.”
A mother’s wish
Jonathan and Taylor met for the first time just hours before the crash.
They hung out with mutual friends in a Sheetz convenience store parking lot in the North Hills for about two hours before trekking to Jonathan’s home, then North Park.
In addition to Jonathan and Taylor, the group included Saber; his best friend, Jonathan’s older brother Jeffrey; and two other brothers, Matthew and Zach Nicely. Saber had driven the six of them to North Park in a Land Rover belonging to his mother so they could take a late-night hike on a supposedly haunted trail.
Around 3 a.m., Saber — then 18 — sped down North Park’s Irwin Road, a narrow, dark stretch without street lights. Police said he was driving at least 72 mph in a 25-mph zone.
Saber refused his passengers’ pleas to slow down while he gunned the engine.
Saber, who had consumed two beers earlier that night, lost control and crashed into an oak tree. The vehicle, split in half, tumbled forward for 400 feet.
The impact threw Jonathan and Taylor from the SUV. Taylor died at the scene; Jonathan died in a medical helicopter en route to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Four others were injured.
TribLive on Sunday published an in-depth story about how Jonathan’s and Taylor’s mothers have weathered the past year.
One of those mothers — Ellie Tourney — shuffled through several pages as she testified for 10 minutes about Jonathan and his absence.
She recalled rushing to the hospital that night to see Jonathan after her cell phone started ringing with a flurry of calls.
When she arrived in the emergency room, Tourney said paramedics wouldn’t talk with her.
“They held their heads down low,” she said.
The hospital doctor who told Tourney her youngest son was dead said just two words. “I’m sorry.”
Tourney, who wept as she read her prepared statement, lashed out at Saber.
“I hope you hear their voices — “Slow down!” — forever,” she said. “Aiden, I want you to repeat these words every day for the rest of your life: Why? And what was I thinking?”
Many tears
As family and friends of the victims spoke, their testimony was accompanied by the persistent sounds of many people weeping, sniffling and scrunching up handfuls of tissues.
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Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Kelley E. Bigley wept at several points during the hearing. So did Donnie Orlowski, Taylor’s father, whose face turned beet red, veins visibly bulging in his neck, as he cried during testimony.
Heather McCandless, Taylor’s mother, testified that the teen, a nationally ranked equestrian, was her “best friend.”
“We did everything together — from day one. She gave me such a purpose in my life,” said McCandless, struggling to get through her prepared statement.
“Now, I’ll never get to see Taylor fall in love, get married or have grandchildren,” she added, addressing Saber. “I will never forgive you for taking that away from me.”
Saber remained stoic and kept his eyes fixed forward for much of the proceeding.
Casey White, Saber’s attorney, submitted about a dozen letters from people touting Saber’s character.
“Our family could not be more proud of how Aiden has handled himself in the aftermath of this accident,” said Donna Nickel, Saber’s aunt, the only character witness called to speak on Saber’s behalf. “We know he is profoundly sorry for his role in this … My nephew would have never intentionally caused anyone harm.”
As Saber walked out of court, he didn’t look at the victims’ families.
Instead, he gazed down at his feet.