Man sentenced to 8 years for 2010 wreck that killed two

A Nashville judge Thursday sentenced Dustin Coker to eight years in prison followed by eight years of probation after Coker pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide by intoxication.

Coker had a blood alcohol content of .16 and was estimated to be driving more than 90 mph on North Gallatin Pike when his vehicle struck the car driven by 26-year-old Kevin McManamon, killing him and his passenger Jessica Howard, 21.

Coker said he had had a few drinks at a bar and stopped to get a beer when he left the bar, just before the crash that happened at 1 a.m. on Oct. 6, 2010. The crash later led to a civil suit filed by Howard’s relatives [1].

Criminal Court Judge Mark Fishburn sentenced Coker to two eight-year sentences to be served consecutively.

The first 8-year sentence is to serve in jail, and Coker will be eligible for probation after serving 30-percent of that. The second sentence is for supervised probation for two years along with use of the SCRAM device for the first year.

Fishburn also ordered Coker to spend a week in jail each year of his probation, during the week of Howard’s birthday, McManamon’s birthday and the anniversary of their death. Coker is also to serve eight hours a month doing community service related to alcohol awareness or prevention, and he will also lose his license for 10 years.