Widow provides victim impact statement

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sigrid Cummings, widow of Stan Cummings, wrote this victim impact statement at the sentencing of Gregory C. Lechtenberg.

I didn’t know anything about Mr. Lechtenberg until March 1st when the Prosecutor’s office kindly sent me the apologies from him and his family, and the references letters written by friends. He seems like a nice man, an asset to his community and someone who, under different circumstances, Stan and I might have enjoyed knowing.

I appreciate this opportunity to tell the court, Mr. Lechtenberg, and his family and friends, a little about the man who was killed and the family who was left behind. Stan Cummings was a very fit and active 76-year-old man. On the morning of July 5th, he and I were crabbing in our canoe. A few hours later we were on our bicycles, headed into town for lunch, and in an instant, all our lives were dramatically changed because of Mr. Lechtenberg’s negligence.

I couldn’t tell from the letters if he has a wife. Stan and I had been married 31 years, and I lost my best friend. We had a very active life hiking, biking, skiing, scuba diving, crabbing, fishing, dancing, traveling and just enjoying life, and especially retirement, together. Unfortunately, he killed my partner and left me with the vision of him brutally struck down and bleeding profusely on the side of the road. I live at Kala Point and there is only one route into Port Townsend. I must drive by that dreadful site every time I go into town and the emotional and psychological effects of that are ongoing and profound.

I know Mr. Lechtenberg has siblings who love him, as does Stan; a younger sister and brother who live on the east coast with their spouses and five nieces and nephews. Stan’s brother-in-law, an avid bicyclist, told me he does not ride his bike anymore because of the fear instilled in him by this tragic accident. I’ve heard that same sentiment from many people in town and across the country. Thankfully, because of my phone and Facetime technology, Stan’s siblings had the opportunity to tell him how much they loved him and say their good-byes, and he had just enough awareness to hear them.

I don’t know if Mr. Lechtenberg has any children. Stan has two beautiful daughters and two wonderful sons-in-law. Eight and a half months ago, Jennifer and Tarla were at the hospital saying goodbye to their father. When their victim impact statements were written five months ago, they said he should serve prison time and never drive again because of what his negligence has stolen from them. They said that it is still hard to see past the anger, and they feel defeated and helpless. I do want to agree with the opinion that Mr. Lechtenberg should never drive again. He stated he did not see us. Stan and I were wearing bright yellow and neon green biking jackets. I was behind Stan riding a magenta pink bike. If it’s true that he didn’t see us, then I believe he has no business behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

I don’t know if Mr. Lechtenberg has any grandchildren. Stan has four, ages 4-8, young children who dearly loved their Bumpa. Stan was a scientist who loved to thrill his grandchildren with science experiments, magic tricks, and teach them about the wonders of the great outdoors. They were looking forward to many adventures together and unfortunately, they have been robbed of those experiences and memories for the rest of their lives.

People in the Chimacum community spoke very highly of Mr. Lechtenberg. Two large communities knew and loved my husband. We moved to Port Townsend in 2007 when Stan was hired as the Executive Director of the Northwest Maritime Center and Wooden Boat Foundation. He was responsible for completing a 16.8-million-dollar capital campaign and building the existing campus you now see at the end of Water Street. The NWMC has honored my husband with the Stan Cummings Classroom to further the opportunities for distance learning, a concept Stan pioneered 25 years ago, before we ever imagined the need for something like Zoom technology.

Prior to moving here, he built an education center three times larger than the Northwest Maritime Center, in Dana Point, CA. Over a hundred thousand school children, every year, enjoy the benefits of their award-winning programs, many of them written by Stan. The Ocean Institute now has the Stan Cummings Scholar Internship Program in honor of the man who was killed. Hundreds of people across the country have made donations to these two organizations in Stan’s name. Mr. Lechtenberg, his family, and friends and the entire community are welcome to make donations as well, in the name of Stan Cummings to further his vision and mission of science education with innovative concepts and engaging techniques.

So you see, Mr. Lechtenberg did not kill an ordinary man – he killed an extraordinary man, and we are all suffering because of the unfortunate death of Stan Cummings.

But I want Mr. Lechtenberg, his family and friends and the community to know, that since that horrible day in July, I have said that I do not believe justice would be served by putting an 81-year-old negligent man in prison. There can be no “justice” in a situation like this. We all know that in this precarious journey of life, bad things sometimes happen to good people. All I ever asked for from Mr. Lechtenberg was an apology. I speak for the entire Cummings family and gratefully accept the heartfelt one he and his family have sent. I hold no animosity toward him, just a deep sadness for the unfortunate circumstances that intersected our paths. As we move forward with our lives, we will all have to live with our own grief, and without the man who was killed, and who we all loved.