A man who caused a fatal traffic crash 12 hours after bonding out of jail was convicted Thursday of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide by a Santa Rosa County jury.
Melvin D. Hawthorne, who turns 36 Saturday, faces a 41-year prison sentence as a habitual felony offender and as a prison releasee reoffender, according to a news release from State Attorney Bill Eddins’ office.
Hawthorne bonded out at 9 a.m. on Aug. 17, 2014, and was speeding in his stepfather’s truck on a rural road when he attempted to pass a Ford 150 that was towing a boat and traveling the legal speed limit, the release said.
He sideswiped the truck, ran a stop sign, backed up and continued speeding down State Road 4. He failed to turn, crashed into a railing, backed up again and continued speeding until he rear-ended a Dodge Neon carrying five people.
A passenger in the back seat, 13-year-old Shawn McLaughlin, was entrapped in the crash and died at the scene, the release said. A 10-year-old and a 14-year-old were also seriously injured.
Hawthorne tested positive for high levels of methamphetamine.
He was driving about 83 miles per hour, nearly 30 miles over the posted speed limit, according to Florida Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash.
He was also convicted of driving with a suspended license, careless or negligent operation of a vehicle resulting in death, DUI with serious bodily injury and DUI with property damage, the release said.
He will be sentenced Aug. 11 at 1:30 p.m. before Circuit Judge Ross M. Goodman.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: UPDATED: Jay man caused fatal crash 12 hours after getting out of jail