A 44-year-old Dowelltown man was who crashed his vehicle and fled in February was sentenced in criminal court last week.
Phillip John Carroll entered a plea by criminal information to leaving the scene of an accident and received a sentence of 11 months, 29 days on probation, including six months supervised and six months unsupervised.
Authorities at the time of the incident said that the Carroll, driving of a 1998 Dodge 1500 pickup, was traveling north on Highway 56 when he struck a southbound 2012 Chevy Sonic driven by Danny Niles, 44. Carroll reportedly kept going after making contact with the car, but soon left the roadway, hit a utility pole, and traveled down an embankment.
Carroll apparently fled the scene on foot.
According to Carroll’s warrant: he warrant "Carroll was driving northbound on State Route 56 when he struck a vehicle, ran off the left side of the roadway and hit a utility pole. Carroll’s vehicle came to a final rest down an embankment. Carroll failed to notify law enforcement and left the scene of the crash."
Sheriff Patrick Ray told the Review at the time of the incident that a deputy stopped in the southbound lane at the red light at Highway 56 and East Main Street near the Post Office saw the truck run the stop light speeding north. By the time the deputy turned around, he lost sight of the truck and did not engage in a pursuit. The crash occurred soon afterward.