The trucker involved in the Georgia crash that killed five nursing students last year has pled guilty to nine charges and has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Trucker Pleads Guilty To Nine Counts
The crash occurred in April 2015 on I-16 west of Savannah. Driver John Wayne Johnson of Total Transportation of Mississippi didn’t stop for traffic that had slowed for another crash. At 70 miles per hour, his truck crashed into the two vehicles directly in front of him, according to reports. Five young women died and three more were injured in the crash.
Today Johnson pled guilty to five counts of first degree vehicular homicide, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, failure to exercise due care and following too closely.
Johnson’s guilty plea was part of a plea deal. He was sentenced to five years in prison and five years probation after that. If the case had gone to trial, he could have faced as many as 93 years in prison.
Driver Says He Doesn’t Know Why He Didn’t Stop
John’s accepted responsibility for the crash, but insists that he didn’t fall asleep. When the judge asked Johnson why he didn’t stop when he saw brake lights ahead of him, he said, “Sir, that’s something I’ve been wrestling with since that morning.”
“You can’t explain it?” asked the judge.
“No sir,” Johnson replied.
Earlier this month, charges were dropped against Total Transportation after they agreed to set up a scholarship fund in honor of the crash victims.
Sources
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
WSB TV
WALB TV