EDWARDSVILLE — A man has been sentenced to 10 years in an aggravated DUI case.
Madison County State's Attorney Thomas Haine made the announcement on Monday that Wayne A. Stayton, 41, of Collinsville, received the sentence at a hearing on Friday.
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The crash happened at about 4 a.m. on Feb. 23, 2018.
In June, following a week-long trial, a jury convicted Stayton of aggravated DUI, finding that he was under the influence of cannabis when his pickup crossed the center line of U.S. 40 in Highland and crashed into a truck driven by Charlene Johnson, 45, of Highland.
Witnesses at the trial included experts from Colorado, Florida and Chicago.
“This prosecution involved highly scientific evidence and testimony from medical experts. This is an area of criminal law that continues to evolve,” Haine said. “In the end, the jury’s diligent analysis led them to the conclusion that this defendant chose to become impaired, then got behind the wheel – and in fact was still impaired at the time of the crash.”
Haine added, “The State’s Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively prosecute irresponsible motorists who cause injury or death by being impaired – regardless of the manner in which they became impaired. This defendant’s choices resulted in the loss of an innocent motorist who was loved by her family, her co-workers and her community. Our hope is that this sentence brings them some closure and healing.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Jim Buckley and Assistant State’s Attorney Susan Jensen.
Associate Judge Ronald Slemer issued the sentence.
The jury rejected a defense that Stayton suffered a mental illness and was experiencing a manic episode at the time of the crash.
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