A man was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison after a fatal Cherokee County crash that left a landscaper dead in 2017, officials said.
Patrick Emerson Thomas, 69, was convicted of first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI and reckless driving in the death of 59-year-old Justiniano Pirir-Pirir, according to Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.
On Wednesday, Thomas was sentenced to 15 years, with the first six to serve in prison. He will have to surrender his license and is not permitted to drive during his sentence.
He will also be required to complete 240 hours of community service, undergo evaluation and treatment for substance abuse, have no alcohol or illegal drugs, complete a MADD Impact Panel and Risk Reduction class and pay a $5,000 fine, in addition to other court costs.
Pirir-Pirir was killed on impact after Thomas’ Ford Mustang struck him while he was attempting to start a leaf blower behind an Isuzu landscaping truck, spokeswoman Cyndi Crossland said. Thomas then crashed into the truck, which was parked legally and had its hazard lights flashing, causing the airbags to deploy, Crossland added.
Thomas allegedly told sheriff’s deputies that he couldn’t see the truck because the sun was in his eyes, but the sun did not impact other drivers in the area from seeing the truck, according to prosecutors.
Prior to the crash, which occurred shortly after 4 p.m. outside of a home on Eagle Watch Drive, Crossland said Thomas was seen tailgating another driver and speeding in the neighborhood. He was going at least 13 mph over the speed limit at the time of the crash, officials said.
According to investigators who were at the scene, Thomas was not injured but “did show signs of impairment.”
Thomas admitted he had taken a prescription medication that “is known to cause sleepiness and blurred vision,” and a blood test conducted hours after the crash showed that the medicine was still in his system, Crossland confirmed.
Pirir-Pirir is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, who live in Guatemala.
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