Julie Kassebeer carried the urn with the ashes of her grandson Samuel to court Tuesday for the sentencing of one of the motorists who had a role in the crash that killed the boy.

She said her family has yet to heal from the death of 11-year-old Samuel Kassebeer 21⁄2 years ago on Kalanianaole Highway in front of the family’s Wai­ma­nalo home.

A state judge sentenced Travis Murray on Tuesday to five years of probation for negligent homicide and assault. State sheriff deputies took Murray, 23, into custody because Circuit Judge Colette Garibaldi ordered him to serve the first six months of his sentence behind bars.

Garibaldi also revoked Murray’s driving privilege for the length of his probation and ordered him to repay the state $5,549 that it spent for Kassebeer’s funeral expenses and for medical bills of two of Kassebeer’s aunts who suffered injuries in the July 25, 2010, crash.

Prosecutor Darrell Wong had asked Garibaldi to sentence Murray to five years in prison.

Julie Kassebeer said of Murray’s probation sentence, "At least he said he was sorry (for) whatever he did, and he’s going to jail for six months. It’s something."

Eunice Goo, one of Samuel Kassebeer’s aunts and who was injured in the crash, said, "At least (Murray) acknowledged the fact that he was involved. I just have to live with that."

Garibaldi said she sentenced Murray to probation because he has no prior felony convictions and because his car was not the vehicle that crashed into the one in which Goo and Samuel Kassebeer were riding.

Police said Murray was racing Herbert Kaio-Campbell on Kalanianaole Highway, passing each other several times between Maka­puu and Wai­ma­nalo. They said Kaio-Campbell slammed his car into the back of a car making a left turn in front of him, the one in which Kassebeer and Goo were riding. The impact ejected Kassebeer, the back-seat passenger, and Goo, the front-seat passenger.

Kassebeer died at the scene.

Goo suffered a broken left arm and leg, broken ribs and other injuries. She said her left arm is now shorter and that she walks with a limp.

Shayna Joseph, the driver of the car, said she suffered a broken collarbone, which will never heal, broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Police said Kaio-Campbell’s car was traveling 77 mph at the time of impact and that his blood alcohol content was 0.10. The speed limit for that portion of the highway is 35 mph, and it is unlawful for anyone with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher to drive a vehicle.

Kaio-Campbell pleaded no contest to manslaughter and assault. However, two days before he was supposed to be sentenced last March, he committed suicide.

Murray was also facing manslaughter but pleaded no contest instead to negligent homicide and assault in a deal with the prosecutor.