An Augusta man whose argument with a friend led to the friend’s death and a murder charge pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Tuesday, Jan. 11.
Dwayne Mutombo, 30, pleaded guilty in Richmond County Superior Court to voluntary manslaughter in the Sept. 21, 2019, strangulation death of Anthony J. Driver Jr.
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Driver, 40, was found dead in a Lumpkin Road apartment.
Assistant District Attorney Timothy O’Brien told Judge Amanda Heath Tuesday that at least Driver, and he believed everyone else, was doing methamphetamine when an argument began between Mutombo and Driver and Driver pulled a knife. A friend of the two men convinced the two to fight with fists instead of weapons and that’s what they did, O’Brien said. Mutombo choked Driver during the fight. Because the death occurred during mutual combat, it was a classic case for voluntary manslaughter, O’Brien said.
Mutombo has been extremely remorseful about what happened, said defense attorney Tyler Baum. Driver did taunt Mutombo with racial slurs and threats, and Mutombo let his emotions take over, Baum said. But there was nothing premediated in Driver’s death, he added.
“He is a kind-hearted individual,” Baum said of Mutombo.
Judge Heath accepted the negotiated sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 10 years on probation. Mutombo will get credit for the time he has been in jail since his arrest in September 2019.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter with The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
