FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
March 31, 2016
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG STRANGE ANNOUNCES MANSLAUGHTER CONVICTION
FOR FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH IN COFFEE COUNTY
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Luther Strange announced the
conviction of a man who was speeding and left the scene of an accident without
reporting it, abandoning his passenger to die. John Gray, also known as John
Carlton Gray, 19, pleaded guilty this morning in Coffee County Circuit Court to
manslaughter and failure to report an accident. The victim was 18-year-old Griffin
Jones.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Trials Division presented information about
the crime. On May 3, 2015, Gray was driving approximately 80 miles an hour in a 55
miles-per-hour zone, recklessly causing the death of Griffin. The vehicle crashed
into a utility pole and two trees, and caught fire. Gray left the vehicle and hid in the
woods for several hours without reporting the crash to authorities.
He was sentenced to ten years concurrently for each conviction. The sentence
was suspended for him to serve 18 months in prison followed by supervised
probation and to pay $15,119 in restitution, as well as court costs and fees.
“This defendant showed an appalling disregard for the life of his victim, and
it is appropriate that he will serve time in prison for his crimes,” said Attorney
General Strange.
Attorney General Strange commended those who are handling this case,
noting in particular Assistant Attorneys General Bill Lisenby and James Rutter of his
Criminal Trials Division, Special Agents of the Attorney General’s Investigations
Division, and Sarah Green, chief of the Attorney General’s Office of Victim
Assistance. He thanked the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, whose State
Troopers handled the crash investigation.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
