Drunk Driver That Killed Sarah Hyland's Cousin Sentenced to 43-53 Years in Prison

Jeffrey Eggeling, the man who killed Sarah Hyland‘s teenage cousin in a drunk driving accident, is going to prison.

Eggeling, 37, was sentenced to 43 to 53 years in prison on Thursday for vehicular homicide and drunken driving, Douglas County Attorney Administrator Brenda D. Beadle confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday. The maximum sentence the judge could have imposed was the 53-year term.

The ruling comes more than eight months after Trevor Canaday’s death.

Trevor’s father, Bryan Canaday, who was also in the car and suffered head and facial injuries during the crash, reportedly spoke at the sentencing.

“Our sentence has not been cut in half,” he told the judge, wife Becky by his side, according to the Omaha World-Herald. “My family and I have been given a life sentence without parole.”

According to the newspaper, most Nebraska prison sentences are cut in half, meaning Eggeling must serve a minimum of 21.5 years before he is eligible for parole; absent parole, he will serve 26.5 years.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, he read from a statement in court Thursday, apologizing in part for all “the pain and fear and sadness and sorrow I’ve caused your families” and calling himself a “foolish, sick, cowardly human for running from that intersection.”

Eggeling pleaded no contest in July to motor vehicle homicide, driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury, Douglas County Attorney Donald W. Kleine confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.

Jeffrey Eggeling | Omaha Police Department
Jeffrey Eggeling | Omaha Police Department

In early December, Trevor, the Modern Family star’s 14-year-old cousin, died in Omaha, Nebraska, after a driver ran through a red light at an intersection and caused a collision.

“The driver of the at-fault vehicle, who was later identified as Jeffrey Eggeling, left the scene of the collision on foot,” the police report stated. “The collision resulted in two individuals from the other involved vehicle suffering life-threatening injuries. Eggeling was located on foot a short distance from the collision scene.”

According to police documents obtained by PEOPLE, the driver had a blood alcohol concentration of .103. (The legal limit for driving under the influence is .08.) According to the police report, the officers could smell “the odor of alcoholic beverage” on Eggeling, who also had “slurred speech” at the time.

The police also stated that the collision caused Trevor to be ejected from the vehicle. He later died after being transported to a local hospital.

RELATED: Driver Accused of Killing Sarah Hyland’s Cousin, 14, in Car Crash Charged with Manslaughter

Before his preliminary hearing, Eggeling had been “charged with motor vehicle homicide, DUI causing serious bodily injury and failing to stop and render aid,” according to the Omaha World-Herald. The publication also reported that the driver, who was driving a 2011 Ford Escape 69 mph in a 45 mph zone, had “a glass pipe, keys and a small bottle of alcohol” in his vehicle.

Additional charges of manslaughter and assault were later brought against Eggeling.

Sarah Hyland/Instagram
Sarah Hyland/Instagram

In the past, Eggeling had been convicted three times for driving while intoxicated and for operating a boat while drunk, E! News also reported. It was unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf or had entered a plea.

RELATED: Sarah Hyland Takes Social Media Break Due to Trolls’ ‘Ignorant Words’ Following Cousin’s Death

Following Trevor’s tragic death, Hyland announced on social media that her cousin had died and her uncle would continue to need more surgeries after the crash.

“This is my 14-year-old cousin Trevor,” she wrote on her Instagram Story in December. “Yesterday, he was killed by a drunk driver. My uncle is still in the hospital in need of more surgeries.”

Along with the message, Hyland, 28, provided a link to a GoFundMe page set up by Trevor’s mom Becky and sisters Tessa and Zoee to raise money for funeral and medical costs.

According to the page, Trevor and Bryan were “driving to a show choir event and were involved in a serious car accident due to a drunk driver.”