Heather R. Capell

MAYVILLE — Jill Wakefield recalled her late husband’s love of classic rock music, especially Led Zeppelin. 

She said he almost certainly was listening to one of his favorite songs the morning of July 1, 2021, while driving to work at Welch Foods Inc. in North East, Pa. 

However, she noted in Chautauqua County Court on Monday morning, a series of avoidable decisions resulted in Bradley Wakefield’s death on Interstate 86. Those decisions, she said sometimes holding back tears, have deprived the family of a genuine, caring person. 

“He was a great father, a great husband and an all-around great person,” Jill Wakefield, said in a statement she read aloud shortly before the woman convicted in the fatal wrong-way crash of her husband was sentenced to state prison. “We have been sentenced to life without him.”

In mid-October, Heather Capell was found guilty at trial of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and driving while ability impaired by a combination of drugs and alcohol. She was found not guilty on the most serious charge, second-degree manslaughter. 

County Court Judge David Foley sentenced Capell to 2 1/3 to seven years in state prison on the vehicular manslaughter charge and to 1 1/3 to four years on the criminally negligent homicide charge. 

The sentences will run concurrently. 

Capell, a resident of Georgia, was traveling east in the westbound lane of Interstate 86 when she struck Wakefield’s vehicle around 5 a.m. in the town of North Harmony. The 52-year-old New Albion resident was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prosecutors alleged that Capell was impaired by marijuana and methamphetamine and was reckless when she drove more than 9 miles in the wrong direction, passing “Do Not Enter” and “One Way” signs at the entrance of the interstate in Sherman.

Capell had driven from Georgia to pick up another woman and to drive back south together. However, after an hourslong stay at a Buffalo gentleman’s club, Capell decided to drive home herself before becoming lost.

At one point during her drive back, Capell called 911 for directions. She was advised to get on the interstate and head west toward Interstate 90. However, it is believed Capell got on I-86 and drove east in the westbound lane.

“You had several opportunities to stop this from happening,” Jill Wakefield said in comments directed at Capell, who sat in court with members of the Chautauqua County Public Defender’s Office.