Smith brothers plead guilty to 2017 vehicular homicide

The two brothers who repeatedly rammed another vehicle with their own, causing one passenger to die and another to have serious injuries during the summer months of 2017, plead guilty to vehicular homicide and have been sentenced to serve time behind bars in the state penitentiary.

On Monday, Jesse Reeves Smith, and James Cody Smith, both age 23 and of Lakemont, appeared in Rabun County Superior Court to enter guilty pleas and for sentencing.

Both Smith brothers plead guilty to homicide by motor vehicle. Jesse Smith also pled guilty to an additional 4 counts of serious injury by motor vehicle.

According to Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Christian, the guilty pleas stem from the July 14, 2017 wreck that resulted in the death of Wayne Turpin and the serious bodily injuries to Kurtis Coates, as well as the other three passengers inside the vehicle at the time of the wreck.

The wreck occurred on East Wolfcreek Road after the Smith brothers chased Turpin’s vehicle and repeatedly rammed it, ultimately causing it to overturn.

After both defendants entered their respective guilty pleas, Judge Russell W. Smith sentenced Jesse Smith to a total of 30 years with 9 of those to be served in the state prison system – the balance of 21 years to be served on probation.

The sentence further provided that Jesse Smith be subject to search without a warrant at any time, to have no contact with any of the victims in the case, complete an anger management program as a part of probation, submit to random drug screenings and prohibited from possessing firearms.

James Smith was sentenced to a total of 12 years with 3 of those years to be served in the state prison system. He was also ordered to serve 9 years probation.