ST. LOUIS — A jury said Daniel Riley, the driver who critically injured Tennessee teen Janae Edmondson while she was visiting St. Louis in February 2023, should serve nearly 19 years in prison hours after he was found guilty on all but one misdemeanor assault charge for causing the crash. The jury deliberated for just over three hours before returning its verdict.
The decision came just over a year after the crash and after three days of testimony. Strong emotions flowed while Janae, who was in St. Louis for a volleyball tournament, her parents and first responders recounted events from the crash.
Riley, 22, was charged with one count each of second-degree assault and armed criminal action, both felonies. He was also charged with several misdemeanors, including one count of driving without a license and two counts of fourth-degree assault.
The jury recommended Riley be sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison for second-degree assault; 11 years, 8 months in prison for armed criminal action charge; and 10 months in the St. Louis City Justice Center for fourth-degree assault charge.
Judge Michael Noble will decide if Riley's sentences will be served consecutively or concurrently at a hearing on April 18.
In a separate case, Riley is charged with armed robbery in connection with an incident in 2020. He was supposed to be on house arrest while out on bond awaiting trial in that case when the crash happened.
Riley violated the conditions of his bond close to 100 times, and former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner's administration did not ask a judge to revoke it. The scrutiny from the prosecution's failures in that case ultimately led to Gardner's resignation in May 2023.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore visited with Janae and her parents, James and Francine Edmondson, in the courtroom following their emotional testimony Thursday.
"I felt something hit me, and it was warm …" Janae told the jury on Thursday. "I ended up on my stomach, face down. I was screaming because I couldn't feel my body, and I was just in pain."
Janae's father said in the aftermath of the crash he used his previous military training and a stranger's belt to staunch the flow of his daughter's blood, actions that saved her life.
"My mind actually went from father mode to military, and when I looked down and saw her leg was severed and I knew she had seconds, not minutes, my mind just kind of blocked everything out," he said, "and it was like God just had control of my hands at that time."
PREVIOUS TRIAL COVERAGE: 'I was just in pain': Janae Edmondson takes stand in driver's jury trial
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