WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — A Texas man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after reportedly killing an 18-year-old in a car accident on January 26, 2023, near the Bobby Hopper Tunnel on I-49, according to court documents.
Jonathan Rountree, 23, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide while intoxicated and second-degree battery on Nov. 28 for the January crash.
A witness said Rountree was traveling over 100 mph when he struck the rear of a car, which contained two people, near the 43-mile marker on I-49 going southbound. According to the fatal crash report, both victims were ejected from their vehicle, killing Jorgia Cole and injuring the driver.
The officer who responded to the scene said Rountree smelled of "intoxicants." The court document said Rountree registered a .21 on the breathalyzer test at the scene of the accident and a .23 on the blood test at the hospital.
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