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Last updated on Saturday, July 6, 2013
(SALEM) - A Salem man has pleaded guilty after he caused an accident that killed his 2-year-old son.
19-year-old Elijah M. Isaacs Sr. was sentenced last week in Washington Superior Court after entering a plea agreement.
He was originally charged with reckless homicide, but pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle with a controlled substance in his blood, causing death - a class C felony.
Judge Frank Newkirk sentenced Isaacs to eight years - with none suspended - to the Indiana Department of Correction. He received credit for 318 days (159 actual days) for time already served and will be eligible to request a modification of his sentence after serving four years.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Isaacs was speeding down Blue River Church Road, driving a 2000 Ford Windstar van with his 2-year-old son, Hayden Overton, his other son, 23-month-old Elijah Isaacs Jr., his two teenage sisters and his girlfriend.
Police say Isaacs lost control of the van as he crested the hill. The vehicle went airborne - about 70 feet - then traveled up an embankment and flipped. An ISP reconstructionist found that Isaacs was traveling approximately 61 mph, almost 20 miles over the speed limit.
Police say Isaacs has never been a licensed driver. He had a learner's permit, but that had been suspended.
Overton was killed after being ejected from the vehicle. He suffered severe head injuries.
Police say the rear seat of the van, where Overton, Isaacs Jr. and Isaacs' sisters were seated, was either torn loose from its floor mountings or was improperly fastened down. Neither of the girls were wearing seat belts.
Isaacs Jr. was also injured, but recovered.
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