Dylan C. Howard, of Calhoun, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in relation to a fatal collision in March that killed three people — including two from Owensboro.
Howard, now 25, was sentenced Monday by Judge Brian Wiggins in McLean County Circuit Court.
Howard was initially indicted in June on three counts of murder among other charges for the wreck. All three murder charges were later amended down to second-degree manslaughter. An assault charge was also amended down from first degree to second degree.
On Nov. 22, Howard pleaded guilty to those charges, as well as the following:
- Wanton Endangerment, First Degree
- Operating Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance, First Degree Aggravated Circumstance
- Trafficking in Controlled Substance, First Degree
- Possession of a Controlled Substance, Third Degree
- Theft of Motor Vehicle Registration Plate
- Failure of Non-Owner Operator to Maintain Insurance
The incident occured March 18. Kentucky State Police received a call at 10:40 a.m. of a multiple-vehicle fatal collision on KY 81 about four miles north of Calhoun.
After review of scale diagramming and on-scene evidence, troopers determined Howard was traveling northbound and crossed over the centerline, sideswiping a dump truck driven by Brian Korb. Howard then crashed head-on into a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Joshua Fox of Nortonville, who was following the dump truck heading southbound.
Two of Howard’s passengers — 23-year-old Shawna Rodney and her 3-year-old, both of Owensboro — were pronounced dead on scene by the McLean County Coroner. Fox was also pronounced dead on scene. Korb was not hurt; however, troopers arrested him for Operating Under the Influence.
KY 81 was closed for more than nine hours as KSP reconstructed the collision.
Moselyville (Daviess County) Fire Department, McLean County Coroner’s Office, McLean County Sheriff’s Department, Central District Fire Department and other agencies assisted troopers at the scene.
