Man sentenced for driving car into crowd at homeless shelter

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David Wayne Turner ran over three women at Cares Campus homeless shelter on April 3, 2023, authorities said. He murdered Michelle Jardine, and badly injured Christina “Diamond” Roman and her daughter, Clarissa Roman. (Mug shot: Washoe County Jail; screenshot: KOLO)

The homeless man who drove his Jeep into a crowd outside a shelter because he wanted to return to prison will never have to worry about that again. David Wayne Turner, 58, was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering Michelle Jardine, 55, who herself experienced homelessness.

He also struck and badly injured Christina “Diamond” Roman, 47, and her daughter, Clarissa Roman, 23, while the women were there at Cares Campus in Reno, Nevada, for their family’s longtime weekly routine of volunteering to help the homeless. Prosecutors said the women were handing out donations that particular Monday.

Diamond broke her back in two places, according to the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office. Clarissa Roman suffered two broken clavicles, a broken ankle, broken ribs, collapsed lungs, severe road rash, and a brain bleed that ended in a stroke.

In addition to the life sentence, Turner also received a 20-year sentence for two counts of attempted murder with three deadly weapon enhancements. He pleaded guilty back in September 2023.

According to prosecutors, Turner admitted to driving his Jeep into a group of people on April 3, 2023, planning to kill as many as possible so that he would go back to prison.

“And, and, and I don’t care the consequences,” Turner told police in court documents obtained by Reno ABC affiliate KOLO. “I don’t care anymore. I don’t know what to do. I’m done. I’m done. I’m 57 years old and I’m done.”

He was emphatic that he meant to kill.

“You thought you were going to kill them?” an officer reportedly asked at the time.

“There’s no thought,” Turner said. “You know, there’s no thought. When you’re going 50 miles an hour and people are standing, come on you know that’s kill.”

Jardine’s daughter, Angelina Blare, joined Diamond and Clarissa Roman for victim impact statements on Monday.

“I hope you look at my face,” she said. “My face that looks exactly like my mother’s, and you remember that for the rest of your life, whatever that entails.”

“The physical, mental, and emotional impacts of Mr. Turner’s actions will be felt by Clarissa, Christina, and the loved ones of Michelle for the rest of their lives,” Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks said in a statement. “The selfish act of the defendant has led to him spending the rest of his life behind bars, and he deserves every moment of that sentence. My heart goes out to the Roman and Jardine families, and hope that today’s sentencing allows them a chance to find some peace as they move forward.”