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(Reno-AP) -- A retired California firefighter who admitted that he drove drunk and under the influence of marijuana in an accident that killed five members of a Utah family was sentenced today to up to 80 years in prison.
53-year-old Stephen Scharosch will serve a minimum of 26 years before he's eligible for release on parole.
Deputy District Attorney Dan Greco says Scharosch is not in good health and will be at least 79 before he can be freed.
As the prosecutor puts it, "If that's not a life sentence, it's very, very close."
Scharosch admitted in May that he was drunk and had been smoking marijuana before the May 13th crash on Interstate-80 east of Reno that killed the five people, including four children.
He entered additional guilty pleas today to charges of felony DUI causing substantial bodily harm.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
