Truck driver convicted in fatal texting-and-driving incident receives short sentence

A Michigan truck driver has been sentenced to less than two years in jail for a distracted driving crash that led to the death of a 9-year-old boy. 

The incident occurred on October 20th, 2018 in Tilden Township, Pennsylvania. 

According to WFMZ, truck driver Joshua Knight admitted to sending and receiving text messages while driving on Route 61. While distracted, Knight drove through a red light and crashed into the back of a car at a “high rate of speed,” which killed 9-year-old Yesier Diaz-Ramirez and injured four of his family members. 

Knight pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault by vehicle. He has since been sentenced to a minimum of 11-1/2 and a maximum of 23 months in jail followed by five years on probation.