The motorist, who was convicted of DUI (driving under the influence) and causing a wrong way driving auto accident that killed a woman on an Atlanta highway, will spend 10 years in prison. The motorist Theus Monroe was driving the wrong way on Interstate 85 in December 2009, when his vehicle crashed head-on into another vehicle. In that vehicle was Jazmine Zachary, who sustained fatal injuries in the crash. She was 25 years old at the time of her wrongful death.An investigation later revealed that Monroe was not only driving under the influence of alcohol, but was also high on drugs at the time of the car accident.
A Fulton County judge this week sentenced Monroe to a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. However, Monroe will only serve 10 years, and have an additional year of drug rehabilitation. The sentence was a bit of a disappointment for the victim’s family who wanted that Monroe be ordered to serve the entire 17 years.
Atlanta car accident attorneys often see that intoxicated driving is the main factor in accidents caused by motorists driving the wrong way. These are typically fatal accidents, or high-impact auto accidents that end with serious injuries. Drivers, who are in the path of a motorist traveling the wrong way, don’t expect to see a driver headed in their direction, which takes them by surprise, leaving them with no time to avoid the wrong way driver. The potential for severe injuries and fatalities also increases because these are typically high-speed, full impact, head-on crashes. Wrong way driving accidents are also sometimes linked to drowsiness, when motorists miss a sign or signal because they are dozing off at the wheel.