Cobb Man Gets 6 Years For DUI Crash That Left Daughter With Brain Damage: ICYMI

MARIETTA, GA -- A drunken driver who caused a crash that seriously injured his daughter will spend six years in prison, Cobb County District Attorney Vic Reynolds recently announced. Jerry Lee Scott, 57, of Austell, pleaded guilty to serious injury by vehicle and three counts of endangering a child while driving under the influence, Reynolds said.

On Super Bowl Sunday in February, Scott was driving a 2005 PT Cruiser in Austell with several passengers, including two adult family members, his two daughters and granddaughter. (SIGN UP: For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. Or if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Cobb prosecutors said that he collided with a pickup truck when he turned left in front it at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Highway and Austell Road. His 7-year-old daughter, the youngest, suffered several crippling injuries in the violent crash, including acute respiratory failure, partial paralysis, brain trauma and an eye injury, the DA said.

While she was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, responding officers noticed Scott had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, the DA said. Police found that Scott's blood alcohol content was .195, more than twice the legal limit.

In their investigation, Cobb authorities discovered that Scott had been arrested for driving under the influence three times before. In Douglas County, he was convicted of driving under the influence and endangering a child while behind the wheel with his daughter and granddaughter in the car.

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“I recognize that Mr. Scott did not intend to harm his child. His intent was to drink alcohol, and he chose to drive the vehicle. He has to live with knowing that he is responsible for causing these injuries, and the fact that she may never fully recover,” Senior Assistant District Attorney Patricia Hull, who prosecuted the case, said in a news release. “Mr. Scott has had a lot of opportunities over the years to make a change in his life, and he has failed to do so.”

Cobb Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs in sentencing Scott to six years, rejected his request for probation. “My heart hurts for your family,” Judge Childs said. “I have an obligation to protect the people of Cobb County. Your next victim may not survive.”

Scott was represented by Marietta attorney Joel Bergstrom.

Image via Cobb County Sheriff's Office