Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 24, 1993                   TAG: 9311250363
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

DRIVER GETS 14 -YEAR SENTENCE IN TRAFFIC DEATH BY KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER

Linkous, 21, of Blacksburg, was indicted earlier this year on a charge of aggravated involuntary manslaughter in the traffic death of Daniel Victor Stetler, also 21 and of Blacksburg.

Stetler was driving south on Prices Fork Road just above the sewage treatment plant on March 11 when he was struck head-on by a car driven by Linkous.

State police said Linkous' car crossed the double line and went onto the other side of the road, striking Stetler's car, then spinning and striking a third car.

Linkous finally decided to plead guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

The aggravated manslaughter indictment charged that Linkous was under the influence of alcohol and showed a reckless disregard for life by his actions. Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Keith said tests showed Linkous had a .12 blood-alcohol content - more than the legal limit of .10.

Keith said Linkous was seen driving recklessly in Fairlawn minutes before the crash. A couple saw a car cross a double solid yellow line and turn right at a red traffic light without stopping, Keith said, then later saw the same car - identified as Linkous' - at the accident scene.

Before his case was called, Linkous had signed a plea agreement pleading guilty to the manslaughter charge and three other criminal charges in unrelated matters.

At first, Linkous told Judge Duane Mink he wanted to plead guilty to the manslaughter charge, breaking and entering, grand larceny and distribution of marijuana. But halfway through entering his formal pleas on the charges, he changed his mind and asked for a jury trial on the manslaughter charge.

His decision obviously jolted Stetler's family, friends and other witnesses who had waited all morning for the case to be called and cried when the manslaughter charge was read by the court clerk.

But after a brief recess to consult again with his attorney, Randy Jones of Blacksburg, Linkous returned to the courtroom to tell Mink he had decided to plead guilty on all charges. He asked Mink to accept the plea agreement he had entered with Keith.

Besides the 14-year prison term for aggravated involuntary manslaughter, Linkous was sentenced to 16 additional years in prison on the other three charges.

After serving 14 years of the 30-year sentence, Linkous will be released and placed on probation for 10 years.

Linkous had asked Mink to allow him to report to jail Friday so he could spend Thanksgiving with his family. That request - which caused some courtroom spectators to quietly gasp - was denied by Mink and Linkous was taken directly to jail from court.

Ann Hess was among several people in the court room as a show of support for Stetler`s family. Hess said her son Jonathan was best friends with Stetler and the two had planned to move to California together. Stetler had graduated from Virginia Tech last December and was planning to attend graduate school for an advanced degree in psychology, Hess said.

Hess' son made the move, but without his friend.