The driver who fled a roadblock last week before crashing on U.S. 98, killing two passengers, is now facing charges that carry up to 75 years in prison.
Kevin M. Allen, 40, of Columbia was arrested around 2 p.m. Friday after being released from the hospital and charged with two counts of manslaughter (culpable negligence), one count of fleeing a law enforcement official in a motor vehicle causing injury and one count of aggravated assault on a police officer.
The charge of felony fleeing carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, manslaughter between 1 year and 20 years and aggravated assault on a police officer up to 30 years.
“He was released from the hospital earlier today and later arrested,” Marion County Chief Deputy Jamie Singley said Friday. “We had been looking at the charges since the night of the accident. It continues to be under investigation.”
Allen fled Columbia police on U.S. 98 at high speeds July 3. According to the Highway Patrol, Allen crashed after bumping a sheriff’s deputy who had attempted to pass him, causing both to wreck. His 2013 Chevrolet flew off the road into a dense thicket near C&S Road between Foxworth and Kokomo. Passengers Damian Swarptue, 26, of Hattiesburg and Lacurtis Floyd, 22, of McComb both died in the accident, and another passenger, Tykevious Durr, 20, of Hattiesburg, was injured. The deputy, whose name has not been released, was treated and released with injuries.
Allen was booked into the Marion County Regional Correctional Facility Friday afternoon. Over the weekend, Allen’s bond was set at $80,000: $25,000 on each manslaughter charge, $25,000 on the aggravated assault on a police officer charge and $5,000 on the felony fleeing charge. Allen remained in jail as of deadline Tuesday.
Allen’s residence was initially listed by the Highway Patrol as being in Jackson, but Singley said Allen had been living here.
