It was a somber afternoon in 4th District Court Wednesday, as family members remembered their deceased loved ones and the driver who struck them asked for forgiveness.
According to court documents, witnesses saw Provo resident Jon Jordan Flake run a red light at the intersection of U.S. 40 and River Road in August 2023. He hit Jeffrey and Melinda Romney, who were thrown from their motorcycle and died at the hospital.
Flake was charged with two counts of felony manslaughter in March 2025, and on Wednesday, he appeared in court for sentencing. He pleaded guilty to both charges.
Relatives of the Romneys wept as they spoke about grieving their loved ones over the past two and a half years.
One of the couple’s daughters sent a letter to the court in which she described having to leave her home and friends to move in with an adult sibling.
“Who is going to walk me down the aisle?” she wrote. “My mom won’t be there to get me ready for my wedding or help me move out for college.”
Relatives described pain, anger and broken hearts as they have grieved and followed the court case.
Through tears, Jeffrey Romney’s sister said she and her siblings forgave Flake.
Wasatch County prosecutor McKay King acknowledged no sentence could heal the family’s pain. But he said there needed to be consequences for Flake.
“The court should punish this behavior,” he said. “Justice is not just about what is going to help the defendant in the future; also some part of justice is that this person has caused pain and should suffer some pain.”
Flake apologized to the Romney family.
“I know I caused pain, and I can’t do anything, get anything back,” he said. “I’m sincerely sorry. It’s been almost three years now, and it’ll never go away.”
Judge Jennifer Mabey was emotional as she delivered her sentence.
She suspended prison time and instead ordered Flake to serve 210 days in jail and 210 days on home confinement. He will also be placed on probation for five years.
“I won’t forget your family members, and I’m sorry that this is the extent that I can do to help you with your grief,” she said.
A restitution hearing is set for March 18.
