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Man Forgives Drunk Driver Who Killed His Daughter

CECIL COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ― The father of a drunk driving victim told the judge he wanted the man who killed his daughter to be released from jail early.

The Cecil County man told Suzanne Collins it was the only way to put his anger behind him.

Jeffrey Vetter says he found it impossible to get over the death of his daughter, Jessica, who worked with him restoring cars.  She was killed by a drunk driver more than a year ago.

"I was so tied with this pressure of hate and anger and it was just out of control," he said.

Jessica was killed in Timonium on a date with her boyfriend.  They were on a motorcycle.  They were driving along York Road while Michael Jacoby turned right in front of them.

The victim's father expected closure in June when Jacoby pleaded guilty and got 18 months in jail, but strangely, he still felt awful and actually felt sorry for the 24-year-old defendant.

"He wasn't the monster I expected to see.  He was just your average, normal, everyday kid," Vetter said.

Inspired by a movie about a Florida father facing similar grief, Vetter decided to forgive the man who killed his daughter.  He went to visit Jacoby at the detention center.

"When I left there that day, it was like a ton of bricks off my back.  I'm a different person now," he said.

Jacoby agreed to join Vetter when released, speaking at high schools on the dangers of drunk driving.  Monday, Vetter asked a judge to release Jacoby after just a month behind bars, believing Jacoby would be safer on home detention and they could prepare for the public speaking.

"He's very grateful the Vetter family has reached out to him and showed compassion and caring.  He wants to do something to not only help him but help others that may get caught up in this kind of tragedy," said Richard Miller, Jacoby's lawyer.

Vetter says he still cries, but doesn't hate.

When asked what his daughter would say about what he's done, he replied, "She'd probably say, `Go, Dad!'"

Jacoby got out of jail late Monday.

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