Jones Sentenced To Prison For Deadly Road Rage Incident

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — A Walden man who caused a collision that resulted in the deaths of three people was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum permitted sentence of 5-15 years in prison for his conviction of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, and six years in prison to be followed by three years of post-release supervision for his conviction of Assault in the Second Degree, with the sentences to run concurrently, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced.

Jones was the sole occupant and driver of a Ford Escape on State Route 17 in the town of Wallkill at 7 p.m. Aug. 4, 2021.

Jones became angry at the driver of a van carrying eight people and he caused his car to collide with the van. The collision resulted in the deaths of three occupants of the van, including the driver, and serious physical injuries to four other occupants of the van. Another passenger in the van was also injured, although not as seriously.

Jones was treated for complaints of pain, transported to a local hospital, and released.

Jones was involved in another road rage incident in the Town of Crawford after the August, 2021 crash, Hoovler said. The details of the subsequent incident were presented as evidence in his trial.

Jones was arrested by StatePolice 13 months later, after an investigation conducted by the New York State Police and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office determined that the collision was the result of his reckless and negligent actions by Jones.

“This case is a reminder of the incredible tragedy that can be wrought in the blink of an eye,”
Hoovler said. “While the sentence imposed in this case can never bring back the lives of those who were killed by the defendant’s reckless actions, it nevertheless holds the defendant accountable for his consequential choices. I commend the New York State Police, including the Collision Reconstruction Unit, for their dedicated work on the investigation as well as the skilled prosecutors who saw the case through to conviction. I hope that the sentence imposed in this case offers some degree of closure to the families of the victims.”