A driver who was trashed on a cocktail of drugs and slammed into the back of a moving garbage truck will serve 12 days in jail.
The drunk driver, Darrell C. Green, 47, of Woodbury has entered guilty pleas before General Sessions Judge Bill Locke to charges of reckless endangerment, DUI and driving on a revoked license. He was ordered to serve 12 days of an 11-month, 29-day sentence, pay $400 plus costs, attend DUI school, perform 24 hours public service work and lose his driver license for one year.
Green’s sentence comes for a crash last year that happened on Nashville Highway. According to Highway Patrolman Rodney Whiles, Green was driving through Newtown in his 1997 Chevy Blazer when he came upon a city of McMinnville garbage truck as both he and the city employee were heading toward town on the four-lane highway.
“I think the garbage truck had gotten up to maybe 20 or 30 mph,” said Whiles, noting the truck was coming up to speed when it was overtaken by Green.
Green slammed into the back of the moving truck with enough speed to destroy his Blazer and critically injured himself.
Green was airlifted for treatment. During an interview after the crash, Green claimed he did not see the large garbage truck in his path.
An examination of his blood revealed why he may have made such a glaring oversight. The blood results revealed the presence of marijuana, Diazepam and methamphetamine.
Witnesses revealed they had seen Green earlier and that his vehicle was “all over the road” just prior to hitting the garbage truck.