Executive Summary
- Jayden Ethington, 23, pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI in a crash that killed 56-year-old Kimberly A. Martin in June 2023.
- The incident occurred when Ethington, then underage and with a blood alcohol content over 0.08, drove the wrong way on a one-way street in Red Bud, Illinois.
- As part of a plea deal, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of no more than five years; the typical range is 3-14 years. Sentencing is set for March 6.
A Sparta, Illinois man has pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI in connection with a 2023 crash in Red Bud that resulted in the death of a pedestrian. Jayden Ethington, 23, entered the plea at the Randolph County Courthouse on November 7 as part of a negotiated agreement, foregoing a previously scheduled bench trial.
The charge stems from an incident on the evening of June 23, 2023, during the annual Red Bud Firemen’s Picnic. According to reports, Ethington, who was not of legal drinking age at the time, was driving a pickup truck the wrong way on a one-way street when he struck 56-year-old Kimberly A. Martin. Martin, a pedestrian crossing the street, died from her injuries while being airlifted to a St. Louis hospital.
Ethington was formally charged with aggravated DUI resulting in death, a Class 2 felony, on January 12, 2024. The charging documents noted his blood alcohol content was in excess of the legal limit of 0.08. An earlier, lesser charge of improper traffic lane usage had been dropped.
In exchange for the guilty plea, the state has agreed to cap its sentencing recommendation at a maximum of five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. The charge typically carries a sentencing range of three to 14 years. Ethington’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 6.