Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Joyriding Utility Vehicle Crash

A Phillipsburg man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a crash that killed two passengers and injured another during a joyride

Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Joyriding Utility Vehicle Crash
Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Joyriding Utility Vehicle Crash

Phillipsburg: A 27-year-old guy named Clayton Anthony Cooper just pleaded guilty to some serious charges. This all goes back to a tragic joyride in a utility vehicle that ended in a crash, killing two of his friends and injuring another.

Cooper was in court recently and admitted to involuntary manslaughter and vehicular assault, among other charges. He’s looking at four to six years in prison, but he might get out after two if he plays his cards right. After that, he’ll be on parole for up to five years, and he can’t touch any alcohol during that time.

He also has to pay restitution for the damages. Some of the more serious charges against him were dropped, which is a bit of a break for him.

This all happened back in October 2022. Cooper had been drinking and decided to take three women for a ride in a Polaris RZR. Unfortunately, he crashed into a ditch on a tree nursery property, and it was a devastating scene.

Two of the women, Bailey Watson and Madison Grow, lost their lives in the crash. The third woman, Leah Scott, was seriously hurt but managed to call for help after regaining consciousness. Both she and Cooper were taken to the hospital afterward. It’s a heartbreaking situation all around.

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