23-year-old gets 3 consecutive life sentences for fatal car crash

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

A 23-year-old Oklahoma man was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences after he ran a red light and caused a car crash that killed three people.

Demetrius Jerrod Price pleaded guilty to three felony counts of first-degree manslaughter and three misdemeanor counts of causing an accident without a valid driver’s license.

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According to ‘The Oklahoman‘ when District Judge Timothy Henderson announced his decision, Price’s mother began crying so loudly she had to be forcibly removed. “Please have it in your heart to forgive my son,” she begged the victims’ families. “He didn’t mean to take your babies.”

Prosecutors say Price ran a red light, which resulted in a T-bone collision that killed of Jason Fields, 34, Shannon West, 30, and their child, Ruby Fields, 22 months.

Oklahoma City police officer Robert Cook testified Tuesday, “To date, it still is the worst collision I’ve ever seen, personally.” He also testified that there was an “overwhelming odor” of alcohol on Price and that he had red eyes and slurred speech.

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Oklahoma City police Sgt. Robert Atkins added that Price was going 80 mph in a 45 mph area. “It was one of the most catastrophic events I’ve ever had to investigate,” Atkins testified.

In announcing his sentencing decision, Henderson pointed to Price’s previous arrest record, in which Price had been arrested about a dozen times and had six arrests for burglaries. “There comes a time when enough is enough,” the judge said.

Price was also sentenced to an additional 25 years on a separate charge for a 2014 marijuana case.

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