Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Clayton County After Fatal High-Speed Crash in Stolen Car
Clayton County, GA — A man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty in a crash that killed a woman while he was driving a stolen vehicle at high speed.
Clayton County District Attorney Tasha M. Mosley announced that Keijuan Lamont Gilbert entered a guilty plea on February 16, 2026, after determining it was in his best interest to avoid trial based on the evidence gathered by prosecutors.
The case stems from a fatal crash on April 2, 2022, at the intersection of Forest Parkway and Ash Street in Forest Park.
According to investigators, Gilbert was driving a stolen vehicle with a male passenger when he struck another car being driven by Sonia Carranza-Gonzalez, who died as a result of the crash.
When Forest Park police officers arrived at the scene, Gilbert told officers that someone identified as “DJ” had been driving the vehicle while he was seated in the rear passenger seat.
The passenger in the vehicle was unable to speak with officers at the time due to injuries sustained in the crash.
The Georgia State Patrol later took over the investigation and reviewed surveillance footage from the area, which showed Gilbert was the driver at the time of the crash.
Investigators also reviewed data from the vehicle, which indicated it was traveling between 93 and 101 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone when the collision occurred.
Authorities said the stolen vehicle also contained tools commonly used in vehicle thefts, including key fob programming tablets, cables, and keys to other vehicles.
Several firearms were also recovered from the vehicle. Officials noted that Gilbert is a convicted felon and legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Brianna Jordan, with assistance from Investigator Will Bryan and Victim Advocates Candice Brown and Carla Dixon.
Senior Judge Geronda Carter accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Gilbert to 15 years in prison.
District Attorney Mosley said the conviction holds the defendant accountable for the deadly crash.
“There is no justification for reckless and careless driving,” Mosley said. “We hope this conviction brings some measure of comfort to Ms. Carranza-Gonzalez’s family knowing the defendant is being held accountable for his actions.”
