Man sentenced for hitting, killing former Salt Lake Bee's announcer

SALT LAKE CITY — Adam Klauke, son of longtime Salt Lake Bees announcer Steve Klauke, said that after his dad was killed, so many people came to an open house to celebrate his life; people who were strangers to him would talk about how much his dad meant to them and how he was a mentor.

"He was a huge impact in my life; he was a huge impact in just the general public," Adam Klauke said.

He talked about the loss of his dad at the sentencing for the driver responsible for the auto-pedestrian crash that killed Steve Klauke. His dad died just before Father's Day and shortly after beginning retirement. The family spent their last few hours together in the hospital.

"My dad was a great person. ... The hardest part about this is just like, everything should have been avoided," Adam Klauke said.

'Worst nightmare'

Douglas Richard Milne, 66, was sentenced on Tuesday to one year in jail for negligent homicide, a class A misdemeanor, but 3rd District Judge Chelsea Koch suspended that sentence, instead ordering him to spend two years on probation, spend 120 days in strict home confinement leaving only for work, health or church and complete 200 hours of community service with at least half of those hours outside his typical church community.

Video of the crash shows that Steve Klauke, 69, was walking in a crosswalk on June 10, 2024, just before 8:30 p.m., with a green walk light. Milne was driving east on 10600 South, passed the 1300 East intersection, then made a U-turn and, without slowing down, turned north on 1300 East, hitting Steve Klauke.

Charges against Milne were filed in November 2024 for negligent homicide, a class A misdemeanor, and failure to yield to a pedestrian, an infraction. A jury found him guilty on both charges in May.

Koch said the case is "everyone's worst nightmare" on both sides, and that she could see from the many letters submitted that both Milne and Steve Klauke were loved by their communities. She said their phase of life and community involvement is "eerily similar."

She said the case is tough because nothing she can do would replace a dad or husband, or change how remorseful Milne feels.

The judge said she would not consider requests during his home confinement period to allow him out for certain events except if there is a death in his family or a serious medical condition.

Unconditional love

Steve Klauke's wife, Sue Klauke, said over the last two years her health has gotten worse because of her husband's death and she is now responsible for all of the household tasks. She said they weren't far from celebrating 50 years of marriage and that Steve Klauke had plans for spending his retirement.

"At least when he was on the road with the Bees I could call him and talk to him, we would send emojis back and forth … these two years have been really bad, I miss him so much, and it's just not the same," she said.

Adam Klauke said he is disappointed the case has taken so long to resolve, and he thinks Milne should have taken legal responsibility earlier.

Now, two "very long, hard" years later, with a lot of reminders of his dad's death, he said the family wants to move on.

Lisa Klauke, Steve Klauke's daughter, said she is often at the light where he died and the average time that a car needs to wait at the light is 90 seconds.

"He made the decision that those 90 seconds to save to get home were more important than my dad's life," she said.

She said her dad always made her feel important and was her best friend. He would show up at lunch when she was in school and play with her and her friends; he came in the middle of the night when she was an adult to help with a spider; and when she is sick, he shows up with everything she needs.

"He showed me what unconditional love was; he loved me at my worst just as much as he loved me at my best," she said about her dad.

Lisa Klauke said that although Milne has apologized, she does not think he has taken accountability.

"Mr. Milne hit a man with his car and killed him … Mr. Milne losing his license should be the bare minimum," she said, noting that is the reason he did not accept the plea deal.

Steve Klauke began his 29-year tenure with the Bees in 1994, when the team debuted as the Salt Lake Buzz. He retired after nearly three decades as "the voice of the Bees" in 2023. He also voiced Weber State football and men's basketball in 2015, a role he continued after retirement.

Consequnces

Deputy Salt Lake County attorney Brandon Simmons read quotes from local media showing Steve Klauke's impact on the community.

"Decisions have consequences, and Mr. Milne decided to accelerate through the light immediately after a U-turn instead of slowing down or looking in front of him," Simmons said.

According to Simmons, Steve Klauke was in good health and looked forward to years of retirement, but instead got just eight months. He told the court he thought Milne should face significant consequences, but said they were not asking for a year in jail, which might derail his career.

In addition to either 15 days in jail or 100 days of home confinement, he suggested 400 hours of community service and requirements that he not drive and that the requirements be taken seriously. He confirmed that Koch did not have jurisdiction to order Milne's driver's license be revoked, but asked her to order that he not drive with a revoked license, which she did.

Milne's attorney, Johnathan Nish, suggested the sentence be 100 days of home confinement.

Nish said Milne understands the gravity of his actions and has taken responsibility, serves others, and said he begs for forgiveness and prays for Klauke's family daily.

"He too is going to carry the guilt and the shame of this for the rest of his life as well, and that's appropriate, … it's a cage that he built, it's a cage that he's going to live in," the attorney said.

Milne also offered a sincere, brief apology, along with quotes from him read by his attorney.

"I'm just so sorry, and I'm just so sorry, Your Honor," he said.

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