NORFOLK, Va. — Jonathan Brownell, 35, was convicted of aggravated involuntary vehicular manslaughter on Monday after pleading guilty to the charge in Norfolk Circuit Court.
He had been drunk driving when he crashed his car on Interstate 64, killing his girlfriend and front passenger Samantha Leigh Sims, according to Norfolk police.
On Sept. 21, 2021, around 2:30 a.m., reports state that Brownell was driving on I-64 near Granby Street when he sped through a construction zone and narrowly avoided hitting workers.
Brownell swerved and crashed into a stationary street sweeper truck, killing 23-year-old Sims instantly, reports state.
According to the car’s airbag control module, Brownell was driving between 95 and 103 miles per hour seconds before impact.
The car was pinned under the street sweeper truck, and emergency personnel had to cut open the vehicle to extract Brownell from the driver’s seat, police reported.
Virginia State Police troopers stated that they noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the inside of the vehicle and, when Brownell was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, he was observed to have watery, glassy, and bloodshot eyes.
Brownell's blood was drawn about an hour following the crash, and his blood alcohol content was estimated to be between .16 and .18 — more than twice the legal limit. Brownell is scheduled for sentencing on June 23.
Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Emily A. Woodley prosecuted Mr. Brownell's case on behalf of the Commonwealth.
