MARION CO., Ill. - Newspaper ownership is rough.
It can drive some of us to drink.
Fortunately, however, most of us don't drive after said drinking. But that's not the case with Thomas Joy of Centralia
Joy, 59 of Centralia, is the newspaper owner in question (the Centralia Morning Sentinel, of which he has been co-owner for 38 years). He's the guy who had been charged with the DUI-death of Jerry Clarkson, 65, of Odin, who was on a motorcycle in Central City when Joy struck him while leaving the Broadway Tavern, this after having several drinks at the Central City bar in a short amount of time (45 minutes).
Despite having one of the better defense attorneys in the area, Eddie Veltman, Joy entered a plea of guilty to Class 3 felony Reckless Homicide on December 12, and yesterday (Wednesday, February 6), Joy was sentenced in Marion County to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The misdemeanor DUI charge, along with attendant traffic citations, were dismissed in exchange for the plea.
That sentence, of course, translates to two years, but the sentence, as Judge Mark Stedelin noted, is enough to hopefully send a message to others who might consider drinking and driving in the future.
Stedelin allowed Joy to wrap up his personal affairs before being transported to IDOC this coming Monday, Feb. 11.