The defendant, Jason Lusted, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a preliminary inquiry into a second-degree murder charge.
The victim, Earl Clapp, died after being dragged under Lusted's vehicle during an attempted trailer theft.
The court considered aggravating factors, including Lusted's extensive criminal record, history of dangerous driving, and high moral blameworthiness, alongside mitigating factors such as a difficult childhood and drug addiction.
The judge imposed an 18-year prison sentence, with deductions for pre-trial custody (Summers and Duncan credits), resulting in an additional 14 years to serve.
