CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A Henrico man has been sentenced to a year of work release for driving under the influence of marijuana during a crash that killed his then-girlfriend’s 5-year-old son.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on Tuesday that Datron L. Pierce pleaded no contest to a DUI charge in Chesterfield County. Prosecutors said they didn’t have enough evidence to try Pierce on a manslaughter count.
They had no witnesses who could reinforce Pierce’s level of impairment.
Pierce admitted to having smoked marijuana at about noon that day.
The level of THC in his system was consistent with having ingested marijuana within a four-hour time frame.
The boy who died was Bryan Cameron Hughes Jr.
The crash occurred on March 19, 2019, at the intersection of East Hundred Road and Meadowville Road in Chester.
Police said a Mazda Protégé, driven by Pierce, was traveling east on East Hundred Road when it began to turn left at a crossover but then reentered the eastbound travel lane. That Mazda was then struck by a white Infiniti SUV, which was traveling behind the Mazda.
After the Mazda was struck from behind, both vehicles traveled into the westbound lanes, where the Mazda struck the rear bumper of a third vehicle.
