A central Mississippi man will spend the next quarter-century in prison after pleading guilty to causing a fatal crash in 2023.
Marcal Joshua Collins, 38, was charged with two counts of aggravated DUI after allegedly killing a mother and injuring her son when he crashed into them driving the wrong way on Interstate 20 in Brandon.
Investigators said during court hearings that Collins was headed the wrong way in his Dodge Ram truck when he collided with the Honda Accord driven by Ty O’Neal and with his mother, Hattie O’Neal, of Brooksville, in the passenger seat. Hattie eventually succumbed to injuries sustained in the wreck at the age of 85.
Officers detected a strong smell of alcohol on Collins as they inspected the scene of the crash. He confessed to police that he had been drinking, and a breathalyzer test revealed Collins’ blood alcohol level to be .191 – more than double the legal limit. Two bottles of vodka were also recovered from his truck.
“Lives taken. Lives destroyed. Driving under the influence is pure selfishness; it’s criminal, and it kills,” District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said.” Our thoughts and prayers continue for the O’Neal family.”
Collins pleaded guilty to both counts and will spend the next 25 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
