Trucker Who Killed Five Nursing Students Sentenced To Five Years

PEMBROKE, GA -- A Louisiana truck driver has been sentenced to five years in prison for causing the fiery crash last year that killed five Georgia Southern University nursing students.

John Wayne Johnson, 56, of Shreveport, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to nine charges in the case, the Associated Press reported.

Johnson was indicted by a grand jury last month on charges including five counts of vehicular homicide for a April 2015 crash on Interstate 16 west of Savannah in Ellabelle, Georgia.

According to law-enforcement reports, Johnson was driving his 18-wheeler when he slammed into stop-and-go traffic caused by another wreck.

Johnson has admitted to texting at the time of the crash.

Abbie DeLoach, of Savannah, Caitlyn Baggett, of Millen, Emily Clark, of Powder Springs, Catherine McKay Pittman, of Alpharetta, and Morgan Bass, of Leesburg, were killed in the wreck.

All five were nursing students at Georgia Southern University in nearby Statesboro.

Johnson was sentenced to 10 years total on Thursday -- five years in prison and five years on probation.