Twenty-five-year-old Gregory Ullrich was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday for driving while drunk and causing a crash that claimed the lives of two 16-year-old Pomona High School students last year.

Friends and relatives of Chayce Miller and Alexander Livesay packed the Jefferson County courtroom, sniffling and wiping away tears during the emotional sentencing hearing. Many students wore T-shirts with Miller's hockey jersey, number 14, on them.

"Until something like this, you don't know how much your heart can hurt," said Jean Willis, Chayce Miller's grandmother. "Our lives are full of tears. You can see the pain in our eyes. I see Chayce everywhere and yet I see him nowhere. "

Gail Livesay said she is still overcome with grief for her only son.

"The day he was born my life was complete," she said. "He was magic to me. He was everything."

The families said they were satisfied with the sentence, believed Ullrich was truly remorseful and hoped the tragedy would convince others not to drink and drive.

Ullrich was speeding and driving with a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit on May 13, when he slammed his car into a light pole at Wadsworth and West 92nd avenues, killing Miller and Livesay, who were passengers in his car. He pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide.

Erin Miller, Chayce's mother, thanked Ullrich for taking responsibility and sparing the families from prolonged legal proceedings.

Ullrich sobbed during much of the hearing, holding his head in his hands as photos of Miller were shown on a screen.

"I am truly sorry for what I've done. I can never make up for it. I'm so sorry," he told the families.

But prosecutor Steve Jensen said Ullrich was first arrested for drunken driving at age 16 and ignored many opportunities to rehabilitate himself.

lindsays@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5181