An unusual case was heard in court yesterday. According to our news partner, WKRN, A driver whoplowed into a man and a truck in the middle of a funeral procession says it was an accident.
Ashley Beasley pleaded guilty to Driving Under the Influence and simple possession of marijuana.
That might not have happened if it weren’t for the victims whose impact statements changed the
case.
Beasley declined an interview with News 2 after the hearing Tuesday but said this was an accident.
But don’t tell that to victim Demetris Benford or his cousin Elton Johns.
“I’m recovering well,” Benford said. “I still got a few aches and pains, I mean, other than that, I’m
blessed.”
“To hear that she said it was just an accident, knowing she flipped my truck and ran over Demetris
and landed on top of him, it was more than an accident,” Johns said.
Johns and Benford were attending the funeral of their cousin Teran Floyd in March.
Witnesses said Beasley drove around three stopped vehicles waiting for the funeral procession to
end and plowed into Benford and T-boned Johns’ pickup.
Beasley was in a Cannon County courtroom Tuesday and pleaded guilty to DUI first offense and
simple possession of marijuana.
Four other traffic violations charges, not wearing a seat-belt, no proof of insurance, obedience to
required traffic control device and limitations on overtaking on the left, were dismissed.
“Just don’t want her to have hard feelings towards us,” John said while addressing the court. “We’re
victims here, but at the same time, we know she is human, and anything can happen.”
During her last hearing, there was talk of Beasley only getting two days in jail since it was her first
DUI offense, but It was the victim’s impact statement that made a difference in this case.
Trooper Joshua Sparkman drew the report as it was a fender bender, as it was nothing major. I
knew that, so we decided to come up with a victim impact statement and bring in 12 pictures to
show them it wasn’t a simple fender bender, to show them it was a crash,” Johns said.
But surprisingly, the two victims wanted the court to be lenient on her.
The victims feel it would be more beneficial for the suspect to go to drug and alcohol treatment
rather than spending a lot of time behind bars.
“It seems to deem a little more punishment but we want her to know there was no malice or intent
for us being here, and we want her to know we pray for her to get the help she needs because this
wreck was caused by her being under the influence,” Johns said.
“It could have ended my life, you know, but I really can’t say how it was,” Benford said. “I just hope
she gets the help she needs, and it won’t happen to no one else.”
Beasley will have to spend 90 days in jail, minus the 18 hours she has already served. She will also
be placed on supervised probation for up to two years.
She will also have to attend DUI school, face random drug and alcohol tests, and lose her license for
a year.
Beasley will have to turn herself into jail and begin her sentence at the end of November.
