By Steve Burns steve.burns@ajc.com
A Clayton County man has been sentenced to 10 years in state prison for a wrong-way crash on I-75 in 2015 that seriously injured another driver, a prosecutor’s spokesman said.
Dezmar Gilbert, 41, was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of I-75 in Stockbridge at the time of the June 23 wreck, Henry County prosecutor’s spokeswoman Megan Matteucci said.
Gilbert’s car hit another car driven by Shashank Virkud head-on, causing a five-car pile-up, Matteucci said. Virkud, 25, a law student from Florida, was on his way to Colorado to help a friend move.
Other victims were treated for minor injuries in the wreck, Matteucci said.
Gilbert pleaded guilty to two counts of serious injury by vehicle and one count of reckless driving. He will be on probation for five years after his prison term ends.
“This was a horrific crash that has changed this family’s life forever,” Henry County District Attorney Darius Pattillo said.
“The maximum sentence for serious injury by vehicle is 15 years in prison. However, the family agrees with this 10-year sentence so they can have this portion of their struggle behind them and be able to focus on their son’s health.”