Mansfield’s Kody Skaggs, 22, was officially sentenced to 14 years in the Department of Corrections (DOC) on Feb. 1 for his involvement in a DWI accident the claimed the life of beloved EMS employee and Mansfield firefighter, Justin Sanders.
He previously plead guilty and was sentenced last week for charges of DWI-death of another not a passenger along with DWI-serious physical injury to law enforcement or emergency personnel.
The second charge had a 10-year sentence.
During an incident that took place on April 1, 2023, Sanders was tragically killed and Mansfield Police Officer Michael Bryson suffered serious injuries after the accident that took place on Business Route 60.
At the time of the accident, Skaggs reportedly was heading southbound and crossed the center of the roadway and ran off the left side of the roadway when it struck Bryson’s 202 Ford F-150.
Officer Bryson was transported by EMS to Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Skaggs suffered only minor injuries and sought his own medical treatment. Skaggs was reportedly not wearing a safety device. Both Sanders and Bryson reportedly were wearing safety devices. At 1:18 a.m., Skaggs was arrested and charged with felony driving while intoxicated leading to the death of another person, a felony first degree assault, careless and imprudent driving as well as charge for not wearing a seatbelt.
