A box truck driver responsible for plowing into a group of bicyclists in Nevada last December has been sentenced to at least 16 years in prison.
The accident happened outside of Las Vegas in December of 2020, killing five and injuring four. The driver, Jordan Alexander Barson, had taken meth prior to the accident and was sentenced during a two day trial on Tuesday, June 8th and Wednesday, June 9th.
According to Lahontan Valley News, Barson apologized and asked for forgiveness during Tuesday’s trial, along with his attorney, who said Barson did not get behind the wheel intending to cause harm, despite having nine times the amount of meth that would have indicated impairment in his system at the time of the crash.
“Knowing I caused the deaths of five people and severely hurt two others is unbearable most of the time,” Barson told the court. “I want you to know that I’m so truly sorry for what I’ve done. I know you will carry this pain forever, and it breaks my heart that I caused this.”
While Clark County District Court Judge Bita Yeager acknowledged Barson’s apology and regret, he stuck with the sentence agreed upon during April’s trial: two counts of driving under the influence resulting in death with a minimum 16 years in Nevada state prison.
“You had no business driving,” Yeager said.
“Mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren… Their lives are forever affected because of your poor choice.”
Barson was also ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution, but his plea deal allowed him to avoid 14 potential felony charges that would have landed him life in prison.