Dwight Turner Jr. Gets 6-Year Prison Term In Wreck In Which 2 Were Killed, Another Seriously Injured

  • Monday, January 13, 2020
Dwight Turner Jr.
Dwight Turner Jr.

Dwight Turner Jr. pleaded guilty on Monday in connection with a wreck in Chattanooga in which two people were killed and another seriously injured.

Turner, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide in the appearance before Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman.

He also pleaded guilty to reckless aggravated assault and driving on a revoked license.

Turner got six years on each of the vehicular homicides as well as three years on the reckless aggravated assault. The cases will be served concurrently. 

The wreck happened Jan. 3, 2019, at 9:12 p.m. at 1400 S. Holtzclaw Ave. Police said Turner was driving a red Dodge Ram that crashed into a white Chrysler van (taxi).

It was found that one of the three occupants of the Chrysler, Mechele Lane, was dead at the scene. Lorenzo Jarrett Jr. died at the hospital. The driver, Melivin Tibbs, was critically injured.

Police said three people were in the Dodge Ram along with Turner. Only Sara Giles remained at the scene. She was transported to the hospital after being found wandering around the scene. She said a man known as "DJ" was driving the vehicle and that Amanda Lacy was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Police were told Turner was driving at a very high rate of speed on E. Main Street and running red lights.

Ms. Giles said Turner looked over at her just before the Holtzclaw Avenue intersection, screamed loudly, while continuing to go faster.

Police said, "This led to the crash that left two innocent parties deceased."

Turner fled the scene on foot and was apprehended in Atlanta later.

Video from a convenience store showed Turner driving the rental vehicle shortly before the crash.

Boyd Patterson of the public defender's office said, "This was a tragedy. I am glad that Dwight took responsibility."

 

 

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