Man Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter Charges In Crash That Killed Guthrie Teachers

A man pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter in a crash that killed two Guthrie teachers. 

According to the District Attorney’s office in Logan and Payne Counties, Rocky Steven Baca entered guilty pleas on Monday in the deaths of Jennifer Lea Briggs and Heather Marie Wilson. Briggs and Wilson were killed on State Highway 33, west of Redlands Rd., on October 27, 2014, while on their way to work as teachers at Guthrie Junior High School. 

1/17/2015 Related Story: Driver Faces Manslaughter Charges After Crash Kills Two Guthrie Teachers

Authorities said Baca crossed the center line and drove completely into the teachers’ lane of traffic, resulting in a head-on collision. The two women died at the scene. 

Laboratory tests confirmed that Baca was under the influence of synthetic marijuana at the time he caused the deaths of Briggs and Wilson, according to authorities.

Baca was charged with two counts of first-degree manslaughter in January, 2015.  He has been sentenced by Judge Philip Corley to 20 years in the Department of Corrections with the first 12 to be served in custody and the last eight to be served on probation, so long as the Defendant has no new law violations and complies with the multiple conditions of probation, including the payment of restitution to the victims’ families in the amount of $31,782.96. 

At the request of the victims’ families, Baca was ordered to pay $20 per month to the Guthrie Junior High School for teacher classroom assistance during the duration of the suspended portion of his sentence.  These payments were ordered to be paid on or before the 27th day of each month.  Additionally, Baca was ordered to complete drug/alcohol evaluations and treatment and submit to random drug testing upon his release from the penitentiary.

Baca also provided authorities with details on where he purchased the synthetic marijuana, how often he purchased the substance from that retailer and how often he smoked it. 

“This kind of detailed and specific statement from the Defendant is uncommon and was negotiated as part of the plea bargain in order to assist one of the victim’s families in a civil lawsuit against the provider of the synthetic marijuana.  Had the Defendant not agreed to make this sworn statement, the chances of their future lawsuit being successful would be greatly diminished,” District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas said.

Thomas released the following statement,

“First Degree Manslaughter is an 85 percent crime which means the defendant will have to serve at least 10.2 years of incarceration before the parole board could even hear a parole request.  What I want the community to see and understand is that there is no such thing as personal use of a drug. Illegal drug use always affects people other than the user. This personal use resulted in the senseless loss of two young women just beginning their lives and careers as teachers.  It was a selfish act that is becoming more common as drug users choose to drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, synthetic marijuana, methamphetamine and other drugs, including prescription drugs, as if it impacts only them.  It impacts dozens of people every time a crime like this occurs.  Today, the State introduced victim impact statements from the families of both victims which detailed the utter devastation their sisters, brothers, parents, grandparents and other family members have endured because of the acts of this particular defendant and the ever lasting effects of his conduct on their lives.”