Wayne man pleads guilty in deadly crash

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April 24, 2009

By HEATHER PYLES, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Fri Apr 24, 2009, 06:01 PM EDT

Somerset — A Wayne County man pleaded guilty this week to charges connected with a deadly 2008 four-vehicle crash that happened in northern Pulaski County.

Sam Jenkins, 21, of Monticello appeared before Pulaski Circuit Judge David A. Tapp Thursday and pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter, one count of second-degree assault, and multiple counts of first-degree wanton endangerment as a result of the May 12, 2008 fatal collision on North U.S. 27 in Eubank.

The collision happened during rush hour when Jenkins ran his vehicle, a 2005 Chevrolet, into the back of a 2003 Pontiac driven by Tanya K. Clark, of Indiana.

The impact pushed Clark’s vehicle into the rear of a 2002 GMC operated by Murrell Denney of Waynesburg, who was waiting to turn left off of U.S. 27, and then into the northbound lane, where it was hit again by a 1999 Chevrolet driven by Paula F. Weddle of Liberty. Weddle had been traveling northbound on U.S. 27.

Clark’s vehicle then crossed back into the southbound lane and struck the Denney vehicle a second time. Clark was extricated from her vehicle and flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for treatment. She later died from what the Fayette County Coroner’s office called a “traumatic brain injury” and other trauma.

Clark’s address was listed as Peru, Ind., but she had been living in Somerset for approximately eight months before the accident, according to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.

Weddle and three passengers in her vehicle, Tonya New, of Crab Orchard, Steven Zelaya, also of Crab Orchard, and Dorothy Foley, of Eubank, were taken to Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital for treatment of their injuries and later released.

Denney and a passenger in his vehicle, Reda Denney, were uninjured.

According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Eddy F. Montgomery, a subsequent investigation by the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department determined that Jenkins had trace amounts of marijuana in his system at the time of the crash.

Jenkins was indicted by a Pulaski County Grand Jury in late November 2008 on one count of second-degree manslaughter in connection with Clark’s death, three counts of first-degree assault, three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

During Wednesday’s proceedings Montgomery recommended five years in prison for the charges.

Tapp set final sentencing for May 28, 2009.

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