A DeKalb County judge sentenced two drivers this week who were convicted in a crash that killed three young children, officials said.
James Benford and Melanie Putnam were racing on Moreland Avenue on April 12, 2015, when one of their cars hit Cazhara Lovett and her three children, 6-year-old Jaylen Coleman, 4-year-old Jordan Coleman and 3-year-old Lauren Coleman, the DeKalb County District Attorney's office said in a news release.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Benford was driving 83 mph, Yvette Jones, a spokeswoman for the DA’s office, said.
Jordan was killed instantly, as was his sister, Lauren, who was ejected from the vehicle, Jones said. Jaylen survived the crash but died a few days later after being hospitalized, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
Benford, 45, will serve a 30-year prison sentence for vehicular homicide and reckless driving, while Putnam, 30, will serve a 12-month sentence for reckless driving.
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