An Idaho man who drove while drowsy and caused a three-car crash in Cache County that killed a man has been sentenced to spend a year in jail.
Kalin Menlove-McGinni, 25, pleaded guilty in November to attempted manslaughter, a third-degree felony. The charge was reduced from second-degree felony manslaughter as part of a plea deal.
He admitted in court papers that on Sept. 25, 2014, he collided with another vehicle and “should have been more careful about having adequate rest” before driving home from his job at a Logan call center.
Judge Kevin Allen on Monday sentenced the man to a year in jail, according to court records, followed by 36 months probation.
At a 2015 preliminary hearing, the defendant’s co-worker testified that Menlove-McGinni had fallen asleep several times while they were working at the call center that evening, and was drowsy throughout their night shift. The co-worker had suggested that he take a nap before making his drive home to Preston, Idaho after their shift ended.
But Menlove-McGinni insisted he would be fine, according to testimony, and said he would stop at a store and buy a couple of energy drinks.
Less than 40 minutes after their shift ended, Menlove-McGinni was driving north on U.S. 91 when he rear-ended a Jeep driven by 42-year-old Leigh Purser, causing it to be struck by an oncoming pickup truck, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.
Purser was not wearing a seatbelt, according to UHP, and was killed instantly.
Prosecutors alleged that Menlove-McGinni admitted to investigators after the crash that he had not slept in 48 hours, and had only three hours of sleep in the three days before the crash.
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