CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Darian Dru Thavychith pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Charlotte bus driver Ethan Rivera in February 2022.
Thavychith also pleaded guilty to one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle.
Thursday, a Mecklenburg County judge sentenced him to between 157 to 201 months (about 13 and almost 17 years) in prison for the second-degree murder charge along with 64 to 89 months (about 5-7 years) for shooting into an occupied vehicle in operation. They will be served concurrently and he will get credit for time served for the more than two years he has already spent in jail. This was all part of a plea agreement.
Rivera’s mom Sylvia, fiancé, aunt, and other loved ones were in the courtroom. It was emotional for them, with some crying at times. Although they are glad to be done with this chapter, they say justice was not served here.
“We’re disappointed and very angry,” said Sylvia Rivera.
Rivera was shot and killed during an alleged road rage incident in Uptown Charlotte on Feb. 11, 2022. Detectives said Rivera and Thavychith got into an argument that led to the shooting near Truist Field and Romare Bearden Park. Thavychith fired a single bullet, striking and killing Rivera. Thavychith was arrested in Kansas nearly two weeks later. He was extradited to North Carolina and has been in jail since.
Ethan Rivera's grieving mother clung to a photo of her son, the same photo she brought into the courtroom with her Thursday as she faced the man accused of killing him.
“We can all move on, we’re not happy but we can all move on,” Sylvia said.
The sentencing was a blow to her heart and she expressed those feelings when she got the opportunity to address the court and her son’s killer.
“When he comes out, he is going to be able to have a family, have children, and have a life,” said Sylvia Rivera, with her son’s framed photo in hand, “while my son will not be able to do that. He left two children without a father and me without a son.”
She said her son was an amazing father and moved to Charlotte to be closer to his kids. He was getting ready to buy a house, he enjoyed his job and had a tremendous heart. She also said things were really looking good for Rivera but she will never get to see the future man he was growing to be.
"The best part of him was coming and that is what really gets to me,” she said. “He stole a part of my heart that I will never get back, never."
Thavychith also got the opportunity to address Rivera’s family, apologizing for his actions.
“I apologize for everything I put you guys through, all of the pain and all of the sorrow,” said Thavychith, in a low voice.
Sylvia Rivera interrupted him, telling him to speak up.
“No loved one should be taken from their family like your loved one has. I believe that no loved one should be taken period,” said Thavychith. "The whole time I’ve been down here, I just wish the whole situation never happened.”
"We don't forgive you," Sylvia Rivera said from her seat.
Thavychith's apology was not accepted by Ethan Rivera's family.
While she may not get to physically have her son back, Sylvia Rivera keeps a permanent reminder of him with her and said his memory will live on.
The same photo she brought to court is the same one tattooed on her upper arm with his birthdate and the day he died. Her lower arm has a replica of the same tattoo her son had: words that read “Only a son a mother can love”.
Ethan Rivera’s family said they will continue their journey toward healing in all of this.
Meanwhile, Sylvia Rivera said she continues to push for better safety measures for bus drivers and she wants to see tougher penalties against those who harm public servants like Ethan.
The incident led to protests from CATS operators who told city leaders they didn't feel safe on the job. Numerous safety measures have been proposed since then, including bulletproof partitions to protect bus drivers. In May, a bus driver and passenger were involved in a shootout near the premium outlets in Steele Creek.
"Bus drivers are getting spit on, cursed out, name-calling like you have no idea," one employee told WCNC Charlotte. "Every day I feel like my life is in jeopardy. When I pull off on my bus, I say a prayer for myself and my co-workers because I know anything can happen."
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