Former Statesboro Police Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Fatal DUI Crash That Killed One, Injured Four
APPLING COUNTY, Ga. — A former law enforcement officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 30 years of probation on Monday, August 4, 2025, after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a 2024 drunk driving crash that killed one man and seriously injured four others.
Laken Michelle Deloach, who previously served as an officer in Statesboro and comes from a family with deep law enforcement ties in Appling County, changed her plea from not guilty to guilty during a court hearing related to multiple motions filed by her attorney. Her request to be sentenced under Georgia’s First Offender Act was denied by Judge Stephen Kelley.
The crash occurred in March 2024 on Ten Mile Highway in Appling County. Deloach was driving a 2020 Dodge Durango with five passengers when she lost control, hit a tree, and the vehicle rolled and caught fire. One passenger, 25-year-old De’angelo Marquis Adams, died at the scene.
Three other passengers were seriously injured, including Ahmad Clements, who was left paralyzed from the waist down; Ashton Baxley, who suffered disfigurement; and Anthony Jackson, who sustained a traumatic brain injury resulting in paralysis. Deloach was also injured.
The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team found that the Durango was traveling at 95 mph in a 55 mph zone at the time of the crash. Deloach’s blood alcohol level was measured at 0.128.
Deloach was initially released on a $40,000 bond under strict conditions, including a ban on driving and alcohol use, and no contact with victims or witnesses. A grand jury indicted her in February 2025 on 12 felony charges and four misdemeanor charges. In May, she pleaded not guilty before changing her plea in court on August 4.
Her final sentence includes:
- Homicide by Vehicle 1st Degree – 10 years in prison and a $4,055 fine
- Serious Injury by Vehicle (3 counts) – 10 years of probation each (to be served consecutively after incarceration)
- Speeding, Failure to Maintain Lane, Reckless Driving – 12 months probation each (to be served in addition to felony probation)
Additional conditions imposed after her prison sentence include mental health and substance abuse evaluations, completion of a defensive driving course, 100 hours of community service, a curfew, and a prohibition on drugs and alcohol during probation. She is also barred from contacting victims unless a notarized statement is submitted to probation by the victim requesting contact.
Deloach was taken into custody immediately after the hearing.
