Copperas Cove man draws 60 years' sentences
Charles Nickolous Linzey, 56, of Copperas Cove has received sentences totaling 60 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the Intoxication Manslaughter of Nancy Parrish of Burnet and a related Intoxication Assault verdict.
A Burnet County jury took little more than an hour to find Linzey guilty and less than that to recommend punishment on March 22. Judge Allan Garrett of the 33rd District Court swiftly pronounced a 50-year sentence on Parrish's death and a separate 10-year sentence for Intoxication Assault of Michael Peyton of Copperas Cove. Peyton was a passenger in Linzey's vehicle when an accident on Oct. 18, 2016 south of Burnet claimed Parrish's life.
The judge made the sentences cumulative, meaning the Intoxication Assault confinement will not begin until Linzey is released from the Intoxication Manslaughter confinement.
Assistant District Attorneys Peter Keim and Amber Myers prosecuted the case and Austin Shell represented Linzey in the trial that began promptly after jury selection on Monday, March 19.
According to the facts of the case, the accident occurred about 1 p.m. that Oct. 18. Linzey was traveling south on US 281 just past the entrance to Delaware Springs Golf Course when he veered into oncoming traffic, striking a northbound vehicle in the outside lane of traffic. The Linzey vehicle then collided head-on with the Parrish vehicle. She was deceased when first responders arrived on the scene.
Peyton, Linzey’s passenger, was transported by air ambulance to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
“Evidence at trial revealed that Linzey had injected methamphetamine the night before the collision as well as having smoked marijuana,” said a summary from the DAs office. “Linzey had previously been convicted in Arizona for Trafficking in Stolen Property and Burglary.”
The jury reached a guilty verdict on both offenses at approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22. When Judge Garrett inquired whether they wished to adjourn until Friday to begin the punishment phase of the trial, jurors asked to proceed that evening. During closing arguments that followed presentation of evidence that night, Myers asked the jury to send a strong message by their verdict about the danger of using methamphetamine and driving.
In less than an hour, the jury rendered their verdict on punishment. Intoxication Manslaughter carries a 20-year maximum sentence, but because Linzey had prior convictions, the jurors were able to render a verdict of 50 years in his case. The jury also rendered the additional 10-year verdict as punishment for the injured passenger in Linzey’s vehicle, for a total sentence of 60 years.
District Attorney Sonny McAfee praised the jurors for their hard work and desire to work late in order to get through the evidence on Thursday evening.
“Mrs. Parrish’s death was a horrible and senseless tragedy, and I believe the jurors sent a very forceful message by arriving at a punishment that was two and a half times the normal maximum sentence,” said McAfee. “I also believe Judge Garrett very carefully and appropriately considered the evidence, the nature of the offense, and all the surrounding circumstances in ‘stacking’ or making the sentences run consecutively rather than at the same time.
“I also appreciate the diligent and hard work of my prosecutors, Amber Myers and Peter Keim, in obtaining justice in this case. Although nothing can cure or change the tragic loss of Mrs. Parrish’s life, hopefully, others will see this result and maybe the recognition of this verdict on some level may prevent other lives from being lost in the future.”
