Bollinger County man sentenced to prison for role in fatal car crash

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Zalma man was sentenced to 10 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge in connection with a crash in which his passenger was killed.

Nickolas J. Jackson, 22, pleaded guilty as charged to the Class B felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter before Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp on Oct. 26, according to Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Briney Welborn.

Jackson was accused of causing a May 1 crash on Highway 51, which left Tommie Bates Jr., 54, of Puxico dead.

At the time of the crash, Jackson was "driving a red 1992 Ford pickup southbound on Missouri 51, north of Puxico," Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Richard Owens said in his probable cause affidavit. " ... As Jackson entered a curve, he failed to negotiate it.

"The vehicle drove off the right side of the roadway and then back onto the roadway. The vehicle then slid off the left side of the road and struck a tree."

Bates, who was ejected from Jackson's truck, was pronounced dead at the scene.

While speaking with Jackson on the scene, Owens said, he noticed Jackson's eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. Owens also reported smelling a strong odor associated with alcohol on his breath.

Owens said he had Jackson perform several field sobriety tests, including a preliminary breath test, and the results were consistent with signs of intoxication.

Jackson entered his plea during what was supposed to be his pretrial conference. Jackson's trial was set for Nov. 13.

After accepting Jackson's plea, Sharp sentenced Jackson to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, which was part of the agreement, Welborn said.

Jackson's plea is "part of the continuing process to make sure the people down in Southeast Missouri and Stoddard County are safe," Welborn said. "Regardless of what they do in Kansas City or St. Louis, we're going to continue to send people to prison and vigorously prosecute drunk driving."