Man faces sentencing in aggravated DUI case

Published 1:00 am Saturday, February 18, 2012

A Vicksburg man who admitted causing and leaving the scene of a motorcycle wreck in which his ride-on passenger was critically injured pleaded guilty this week to aggravated driving under the influence, court documents show.

Harry Keonta Ramsey, 22, 117 Walton Lane, appeared Monday in Warren County Circuit Court before presiding Judge Isadore Patrick.

Patrick accepted Ramsey’s open plea — meaning no sentence had been recommended in advance by District Attorney Ricky Smith — and set sentencing for 9 a.m. March 2.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

Ramsey faces a maximum of 25 years in prison for his role in the May 29, 2010 wreck in Bovina at the intersection of Warriors Trail and Bovina Drive. While driving a 2009 Kawasaki sport bike with then-15-year-old Keandra Jackson on the back, Ramsey attempted to turn and the bike skidded and wrecked at about 8:15 p.m., documents show.

Ramsey, who was wearing a helmet and was not injured, got up, walked away with his helmet and bike and hid them behind a nearby trailer, leaving Jackson on the ground, witnesses said.

About 30 minutes later, Ramsey was arrested at 6287 Warriors Trail, where a test showed his blood alcohol level was .15 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent.

Jackson, who was not wearing a helmet and suffered head injuries, was taken to River Region Medical Center and later flown to University Medical Center in Jackson, records showed.

Ramsey was also indicted for leaving the scene of an accident, but that charge was not prosecuted.

Also in Warren County Circuit Court for the week ending Friday:

• Eddie Lamar Flowers, 21, 221 Henry St., was found guilty of violating probation and sentenced by Patrick to remain on probation in accordance with his original sentence (five years), plus attend Warren Yazoo Mental Health facility and pay all outstanding fines, fees and restitution remaining from his original sentence (unspecified). Flowers was sentenced in Oct. 2009 for aggravated assault.

• Rossi Gray, 262 Demby Drive, pleaded guilty to sale of controlled substance and was sentenced by Circuit Judge M. James Chaney to 10 years in prison followed by five years of probation, plus an $8,000 fine and $622.50 in costs. Gray was indicted by the grand jury in January.

• Dennis Matthew Johnson, 23, 3062 Woodville Road, was found guilty of violating probation and sentenced by Patrick to 10 years in prison plus all outstanding fines, fees and restitution (unspecified amounts). Johnson was sentenced in November 2010 for possession of burglar tools, non-residential burglary and grand larceny.

• Ronnie Lick, 49, 2560 Freetown Road, was found guilty of violating probation and sentenced by Patrick to five years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, to include no less than 12 months in the Extended Alcohol and Drug Treatment Program followed by two years in the Intensive Supervision Program (house arrest), plus outstanding fines, fees and restitution (unspecified). Lick was sentenced in January 2009 for third offense domestic violence.

• Theresa Odoms, 33, 535 Hall Road, was found guilty of violating probation and sentenced by Chaney to five years in prison, including intensive alcohol and drug treatment, followed by five years of probation, plus outstanding fines, fees and restitution (unspecified). Odoms was sentenced in March 2010 for uttering a forgery.