Today in Anderson in the Court of General Sessions, Jonathan Hamby pled guilty to one count of Felony Driving Under the Influence Resulting in Death and one count of Felony Driving Under the Influence Resulting in Great Bodily Injury and received a sentence of 15 years suspended to 11 years incarceration with 5 years of probation to follow before Judge R. Scott Sprouse of the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Stan Overby represented the State during the plea, and Mr. Hamby was represented by attorney Druanne White.
On May 4th, 2016 at 9:10 AM a pickup truck being driven by Hamby crossed from the South bound inside lane of SC 28, travelled over the median, and collided head on with a 2003 Chevy sedan. The driver of the Chevy sedan, Loretta Pressley, was killed upon impact, and Ms. Pressley’s minor grandson, who was in the vehicle as well, suffered a facial and pelvic fracture during the collision. Hamby was transported to AnMed from the collision scene, and results of a blood draw following a search warrant showed he had methamphetamine in his system at the time of the incident.
Following the plea, Solicitor David Wagner stated that “this tragedy illustrates how dramatic and far reaching the results of drug use and of driving while impaired can be. Ms. Pressley’s grandson had to witness his grandmother’s death, and no child should have to experience something so harrowing. My heart breaks for the child, and goes out to the family of Ms. Pressley today.”