The driver who caused a horrific Kunia traffic collision that killed four farm workers and injured eight others in 2006 was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison.

The sentence, handed down by Circuit Judge Derrick Chan, left John Szemkow, 47, weeping uncontrollably at the defendant's table.

The sentence came after Szemkow's lawyer, Samuel King Jr., argued that his client, affected by a change in prescription pain medication, inadvertently allowed his car to briefly drift over the center line of Kunia Road on April 4, 2006.

A pickup truck carrying 12 farm workers swerved to avoid Szemkow's car, then veered into oncoming traffic, colliding with a cement truck.

Deputy Prosecutor Russell Uehara asked Chan to sentence Szemkow to consecutive prison terms after the defendant pleaded no contest to charges of leaving the scene of an accident and negligent homicide.

"He snuffed out the lives of four people and injured eight more," Uehara said. "He deliberately, he intentionally drove in the wrong lane, which caused that pickup truck to collide with a cement truck."

Rex Polendey, husband of one of the workers who died in the collision, told Chan that he and other family members "still feel the pain" of loss.

"All our aspirations as husband and wife have been cut off," Polendey said.

"I'm requesting he (Szemkow) be given some time of justice for the sake of those who died," Polendey told the judge.

Killed in the accident were Polendey's wife, Aquilina, 57; Ana Sacalamitao, 46, of Waipahu; and Lorna Laroco, 53, and Gertrudis Montano, 59, of 'Ewa Beach.

Ana Dacquel, the driver of the pickup truck, told the judge her life has been devastated.

"I have no friends to lean on; they have all been taken away," Dacquel said. "I can't forget this for the rest of my life."

Szemkow told the victims' family members, "I will always carry the burden and mourning for those who died."

Szemkow said he will never drive a vehicle again.

At King's request, Chan allowed Szemkow until tomorrow to surrender and begin serving his sentence.

A retired Navy medical corpsman, Szemkow has serious physical problems and needs to meet with doctors before beginning his prison term, King said.

Szemkow needs a knee replacement and also has serious problems with one of his ankles, King said.