A woman who caused a fatal three-vehicle crash on Georgia Highway 24 in Burke County pleaded guilty Monday.
Shaun A. Pierce, 19, pleaded guilty in Burke County Superior Court to vehicular homicide and following too closely. The fatal crash occurred May 14, 2020, at 7:40 a.m. Shalonda L. Free, 40, died in the crash caused by Pierce when she rear-ended Free’s vehicle at 54 mph, pushing her vehicle into the path of a third vehicle. Pierce was driving behind Free and failed to stop as Free was attempting to turn left.
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Assistant District Attorney Kevin Davis told the judge he was recommending a probated sentence.
Although a test revealed Pierce had ingested marijuana within five hours of the crash, there is no way to know if it adversely affected her driving, Davis said. Free’s parents supported a sentence of probation.
Judge John Flythe accepted Pierce’s plea – after ordering a drug test which Pierce passed – and sentenced her to five years on probation under the First Offender Act.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
