A man was found guilty Thursday in a fatal Cherokee County crash that left a landscaper dead in 2017, officials said.
Patrick Emerson Thomas, 69, was convicted of first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI and reckless driving in the death of 59-year-old Justiniano Pirir-Pirir, according to Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway.
Pirir-Pirir was killed on impact after Thomas’ Ford Mustang struck him while he was attempting to start a leaf blower behind an Isuzu landscaping truck, spokeswoman Cyndi Crossland said. Thomas then crashed into the truck, which was parked legally and had its hazard lights flashing, causing the airbags to deploy, Crossland added.
Thomas allegedly told sheriff’s deputies that he couldn’t see the truck because the sun was in his eyes, but the sun did not impact other drivers in the area from seeing the truck, according to prosecutors.
Prior to the crash, which occurred shortly after 4 p.m. outside of a home on Eagle Watch Drive, Crossland said Thomas was seen tailgating another driver and speeding in the neighborhood. He was going at least 13 mph over the speed limit at the time of the crash, officials said.
According to investigators who were at the scene, Thomas was not injured but “did show signs of impairment.”
Thomas admitted that he had taken a prescription medication that “is known to cause sleepiness and blurred vision,” and a blood test conducted hours after the crash showed that the medicine was still in Thomas’ system, Crossland confirmed.
Pirir-Pirir is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren who live in Guatemala.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced June 27.
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