Police reports say 24-year-old Robert Thomas, was traveling east on Irvin Cobb Drive at a high rate of speed, when he broadsided the driver's side of a vehicle driven by 53-year-old Honey Hastings as she was about to turn right onto Irvin Cobb Drive from John Puryear Drive. Hastings was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thomas and a passenger, 22-year-old Andris L. Jackson were taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries, and two other passengers, 3-year-old David Flores, and 1-year-old Gracie Thomas were checked for injuries and released.
Thomas was arrested four days later after Paducah Police interviewed him and he reportedly admitted smoking synthetic marijuana before the accident.
The case had been scheduled for trial later in September, but on Friday, Thomas entered a guilty plea to a lesser charge of 2nd degree manslaughter and two charges of wanton endangerment instead of three. The plea deal came after some lab results on Thomas were released to attorneys.
Sentencing for Thomas is set for November 7, where he will likely get 20 years in prison - ten for the manslaughter charge and five for each of the endangerment charges.
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