HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. — Editor's note: The video above originally aired on KARE 11 on April 5, 2022.
One month after pleading guilty to killing two young men in a violent car crash in Orono, 52-year-old James Blue was sentenced to 90 months in prison by Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu.
In April, Blue pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide with an alcohol concentration of .08 or more in connection to the July 24, 2021 crash that killed 20-year-old Mack Motzko and 24-year-old Sam Schuneman.
In exchange for Blue's guilty pleas, prosecutors dropped four other counts.
“You’ve taken responsibility for your actions, and I have no doubt that you have extreme remorse for having killed these two young men," Chu said to Blue before handing down the sentence. “But your actions resulted in their death.”
Prior to the sentencing, Blue's defense attorney described his "self-directed rehabilitation" in the wake of the fatal crash, which included admitting responsibility, making financial payments, participating in residential treatment and submitting to chemical testing, among other things.
The defense asked Judge Chu to consider a nine-month credit for "effective time served," or a custody credit, to account for the time Blue spent hospitalized, in jail, in treatment and on house arrest. The state opposed to the provision, and it was denied by Judge Chu.
Speaking to the courtroom through tears, Blue apologized to the Motzkos, Schunemans and their friends and family, saying "I would give up my life today... to bring Sam and Mack back."
"I never imagined for a moment that I was capable of doing something with such awful consequences. It was completely out of character for me. And I understand that I must be punished," he said.
Blue's sentencing hearing was scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, but was delayed because of issues with the video feed. Judge Regina Chu said the Zoom system froze, possibly because so many people were trying to join.
Representatives for Motzko and Schuneman's families released the following statement immediately after Blue's sentencing:
“While today’s outcome cannot compare to the life sentence our two families have been given with the loss of our beloved sons, Mack and Sam, we hope it sends a clear and strong message that there are serious consequences for drunk driving and those that drive while impaired will be held accountable. We express our thanks to the Court for the professional and compassionate manner in which it has handled this horrific and senseless tragedy. We will be making no further statements at this time and ask for privacy as we continue to process and grieve the loss of Mack and Sam.”
At his plea deal hearing in April, Blue admitted to Judge Regina Chu that he did shots of tequila and took a THC gummy before speeding out of his driveway and crashing into a grove of trees, killing Motzko and Schuneman. His blood alcohol level registered .22 at a local hospital.
"The crash itself... it's my fault," Blue told Judge Chu. "I made the decision to get into the vehicle... I ended up in the hospital and two men died."
Motzko was the son of Bob Motzko, the University of Minnesota men's hockey coach. Motzko was well-known in the local hockey community, and had most recently played for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL and for the New Mexico Ice Wolves in the NAHL at the time of his death.
Schuneman graduated from Rockford High School in in 2015, where he played football. Throughout their 2021 season, the Rockford Rockets wore stickers with the number six on their helmets during games, the same number Sam wore when he played on the team.
This is a developing story. KARE 11 will provide more updates as new information becomes available.
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