Illinois mom gets probation in son's crash death

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - A southwest Illinois mother has been sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to providing alcohol to her son before he crashed his car and died.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports a judge sentenced 40-year-old Ginger Zehner-Denton of Belleville on Thursday. She pleaded guilty in June to misdemeanor unlawful delivery of alcohol.

Stephen Zehner died in a one-car crash in January 2013. He was 18.

Zehner-Denton and her lawyer say his blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit.

A 16-year-old passenger, Megan Webb, spent three months in a hospital.

Zehner-Denton's lawyer says there's no relationship between her client providing alcohol and her son crashing.

Police say she gave him a six-pack of beer and a pint of whiskey. Zehner-Denton said Thursday both were recovered unopened from his car.