Guilty plea for Houston man in auto accident that killed five kids

Last April a Houston man lost control of his vehicle and drove into a flooded bayou during a heavy rain storm.  As a result, five children who were traveling in his vehicle when it crashed were killed.  The man recently pleaded guilty to the charges against him stemming from the accident.

The man, Chanton Jenkins, was charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter for his role in the death of the five children.  If found guilty, Jenkins could face a maximum of five life sentences behind bars.

Given the severity of the situation and the evidence against him, Jenkins decided to plead guilty and forgo a trial.  The judge has ordered a presentencing investigation to help decide his punishment.

The evidence against Jenkins is damning.  He had a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.0.79 two and a half hours after the accident and also tested positive for PCP and marijuana.  None of the children in Jenkins’ vehicle were wearing a seat belt or strapped into a child safety seat; the children’s ages were 1, 4, 4, 7, and 11. 

Despite these facts against him, Jenkins’ attorney argued that other factors led to the crash and subsequent deaths: bad weather and a dropped cell phone.

This horrific, tragic accident is a good example of no matter what the facts are in a case, the negligent party will always find an excuse for why the crash was not their fault.  At least in this case the driver admitted to his guilt.