JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – A 2019 car crash in Onslow County has left one family grieving for four years, with lots of questions and no answers.
Hunter Wells pleaded guilty in a plea agreement for the felony motor vehicle death of Morgan Patten and the felony motor vehicle injury of Charles Cornwall.
The total sentencing could have been up to 263 months, according to Judge Bob Roupe.
He was sentenced to a minimum of 38 months and a maximum 58 months in prison for the death of Patten. He was sentenced to a suspended term of a minimum of 16 months and a maximum 29 months for the injury of Cornwall. Following that, he will serve 24 months of probation.
He will also do 240 hours of community service, 10 years for every year Morgan was alive.
“We believe the judge did the best he could with compassion, thoroughly given the information that he had available to him at this hearing,” said Steve Patten, Morgan’s father.
On November 8, 2019, Patten was visiting Jacksonville for the first time to see her Marine fiance, Phil Brandon. She went to the local Applebees for dinner that evening by herself while Brandon was unable to leave the military base. There, she met Charles Cornwall, and Wells, who had been drinking.
According to witnesses who worked at the Applebees, the two bought her a drink and struck up a conversation.
She was found dead hours later in a car crash on White Oak River Road, with Wells driving the car.
Just minutes before the accident, a photo of the three was taken on the defendant’s phone and recovered in the investigation.
“Morgan loved and cared deeply for humanity. She was the best friend to all of her friends that somebody could be,” said her father.
State troopers estimate the vehicle was traveling around 80 miles per hour on the 55-mile-per-hour road. In court Tuesday, Wells apologized to the Patten family for his actions, stating he wishes it was him instead of her.
He added that he understands he hurt not only Patten’s family but also his own, leaving his wife and daughter behind while he serves time.
“Today was the first apology that we heard from the defendant Hunter Wells,” said Steve. “It was scripted and meaningless to us.”
It’s unsure why Patten agreed to get in the car with the two, only barely knowing them for a few hours. Even with all the evidence presented in court, her family still believes there’s more to the story.
With the motto from her favorite book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” they have miles to go and hope to uncover the truth.
The family brought her copy of the book to court with them.
“It rings true today, we still have miles to go to find the answers regarding the night of November 8, 2019, what happened to Morgan?” her father said.
Several close friends and family members of Patten gave emotional testimonies in court, still fighting for justice.
Her fiance, Brandon read aloud a touching journal entry she had written about her love for him the day before she died, which was recovered in her hotel room.
“This mission will not stop. We have miles to go before we’re satisfied. That we have the answers to put this puzzle together,” Steve said.
The Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Maultsby stated in court that there was no evidence that Patten was taken against her will.
