Justin Draper Pleads Guilty in 2006 Triple-Fatal Crash; Firefighter Mom of One Victim Busted for Shoplifting in Houston
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| Justin Draper, seen here in the mug shot from his 2009 arrest, pleaded guilty this month in the 2006 Surprise crash that left three teens dead. |
The Houston firefighter, Jane Draycott, made headlines a couple of weeks ago after being busted for shoplifting a DVD player, some DVDs and a bag of ice from a Walmart -- while in uniform. Draycott was already well-known in Houston for a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit she'd filed against co-workers.
Draycott claims she was out of her head during the shoplifting incident because she'd just been told by Arizona prosecutors that the man responsible for her daugher's death, Justin Draper, might not serve any prison time.
Police say Draper, then 18, was speeding in a 45 mph on Bell Road just east of Tatum Boulevard on September 24, 2006, when a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Michael Foley turned left in front of him.
Draper's Ford Mustang slammed into the Jeep, killing Foley, 18, and Foley's 15-year-old girlfriend, Jelena Nokeo. One of Draper's passenger's, 17-year-old Amanda Jane Franklin (Draycott's daughter) was also killed. Another passenger, Brittany Micko, was injured severely. Draper was also injured.
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| Image: Courtesy of Jane Draycott |
| Amanda Jane Franklin |
The case languished for three years without any charges against Draper until 2009, when he was arrested and indicted on three counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault. He spent 20 days in jail last year before posting bond.
In the plea deal, approved by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Warren Granville on August 12, Draper admits to three counts of negligent homicide. The "dangerous" label on the original counts has also been lifted, meaning Draper -- now 22 -- does not face mandatory prison time.
He could, however, get up to 11 years in prison when he's sentenced on September 21.
Jane Draycott, Franklin's mom and a Houston firefighter, was busted two weeks ago for shoplifting while in uniform.
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