A man who was accused of drunk driving after an accident that severely impaired a young woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison and probation. William Wilson Heaton, a 24-year-old Georgia resident, will be forced to serve ten years behind bars with another 10 years of probation. During his probation period he will be subject to consistent alcohol and drug tests, the failure of which could land him back in prison.

The accident occurred on February 16, 2013. That night, Heaton was driving his red Mazda pickup when he left the road and hit the victim from behind while veering back on to the road. The victim, Emily Bowman, had been walking along the road’s grassy shoulder with a friend while she was struck. She suffered a severe traumatic brain injury from the accident, which has forced her to need round-the-clock medical attention ever since.

According to information revealed about the case, Heaton is believed to have had more than a dozen drinks before driving that night. After the accident, he had attempted to hide out at a friend’s apartment, and then called his parents later on to pick him up at a nearby gas station. He was later arrested and charged with a hit-and-run, as well as a DUI, reckless driving, open intoxicant and serious injury via vehicle.

Bowman continues to make progress in her therapy, and originally spent months in the hospital after the accident. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident caused by a drunk driver, work with the Atlanta car accident attorneys at McMenamy Law, LLC.