He was a quiet, unassuming man who loved his wife and family, enjoyed his friends and supported his community.

A trucker, a longtime Auburn businessman, and an active volunteer who helped others, especially the underprivileged.

Joe Bartkowski was many things to many people.

But on Nov. 4, 2012 a freeway crash cut short the life of this big-hearted man, who gave so much of himself and had so much more to give.

On Thursday, in a courtroom at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center, the man responsible for Bartkowski’s death – Stephen Jamal Palmer – learned of his punishment for his careless actions on that day, when he triggered a chain-reaction crash on southbound Interstate 5 near Federal Way.

King County Superior Court Judge Julia Garratt sentenced Palmer, 22, of Renton, to 27 months in prison for vehicular homicide and reckless endangerment.

Palmer was driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana at the time of the accident, according to charging papers. He had no prior criminal convictions.

Palmer’s sentencing brought some closure to the Bartkowski family.

“It was justice,” Joe’s widow, Sharon Bartkowski, said afterward. “He made a mistake and needs to be held responsible for it.”

Earlier, describing to the court her husband of 40 years, Sharon Bartkowski choked back tears.

“My husband was everything to me. … He loved me more than anything. My heart is broken because Joe is not here with me every day,” she said. “Joe had a joyful spirit. He showed that to me every day. My life was blessed with Joe. My time with Joe wasn’t long enough. Nothing can bring Joe back, nothing can fill my emptiness,” she said.

She then looked at Palmer.

“I hate the choice you made that killed my husband,” she said.

Palmer later apologized to the Bartkowski family.

“I am truly, truly sorry for your loss … if I could bring him back, I would,” he said.

The State Patrol said Palmer was driving impaired at 2:32 a.m., when he lost control of his Nissan Altima, struck a guardrail and came to rest on the freeway.

Palmer and three passengers got out of the vehicle and moved to the right shoulder of the freeway.

A Toyota Camry then hit Palmer’s car before Bartkowski’s truck, carrying 9,000 gallons of aviation fuel, struck the Altima, swerved off the road and rolled down an embankment, where it collided with a soundwall and burst into flames.

Authorities said Bartkowski was able to avoid hitting Palmer’s car and maintain enough control to keep his truck on the freeway before he left the road and slammed into the wall.

Four young adults sustained minor injuries. Bartkowski, days from retirement, was killed instantly.

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rod Scarr lauded Bartkowski for his quick actions.

“He truly was a hero,” Scarr told the court. “… Joe had to more or less thread a needle to get between those two cars, barely clipping one, and indeed likely saved many, many lives.”

Joe Bartkowski was a big part of the Auburn community. He and Sharon owned The Print Shop in Auburn for several years before he returned to his passion — driving trucks. A longtime member of the Auburn Noon Lions Club, he served for many years on the Miss Auburn Scholarship Program board of directors.

His generosity was well known throughout the community.

At the sentencing, former Auburn mayor Pete Lewis spoke of the Bartkowskis’ big hearts and unselfish ways.

“Everybody knew Joe and Sharon. Everybody knew that if they needed some help, they could go to Joe and Sharon and get that help,” he said. “Joe would be the first to volunteer, not to get credit. … He would get the job done and quietly leave.

“There are few people who make up a community, who make up the soul of that community, and Joe was one of those people,” Lewis said.