Man who snorted pills, caused fatal crash sentenced to 15 years in prison

Johnny Cowart Jr.

Credit: Newton County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Newton County Sheriff's Office

Johnny Cowart Jr.

A Loganville man who admitted to snorting prescription drugs ahead of a head-on crash that killed a woman was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison.

Johnny Cowart Jr., 40, was convicted earlier this year of homicide by vehicle, two counts of serious injury by vehicle and driving under the influence, prosecutors said.

The charges stem from a head-on collision in Covington that killed Paula Boozer in January 2018, according to the Newton County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said Cowart was on a combination of Adderall and Xanax when he crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with another car on Washington Street. He didn’t have prescriptions for either of those drugs.

Boozer, who was a passenger in the other vehicle, died of her injuries, authorities said. Both Cowart and the driver of the other car were seriously injured.

Cowart was sentenced to 15 years in prison for vehicular homicide and another 15 years on probation for serious injury by vehicle charges, according to interim DA Randy McGinley.

In other news: 

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard took the unusual step Wednesday of charging the officers in the Brooks case before reviewing that third-party investigation.

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