ST. LOUIS, MO – On Tuesday, a 21-year-old man was sentenced to 25 years in prison in connection with a deadly crash that killed a family of five in 2022.
According to First Alert 4, the 21-year-old, identified as Marshawn Stepney, received the sentence after he pleaded guilty to the following charges: five counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, one count of first-degree tampering, and one count of felony leaving the scene of a crash.
Stepheny will be held at the Missouri Department of Corrections.
The incident unfolded when Stepney drove a stolen gray 2015 Jeep Cherokee and sideswiped a gray Infiniti QX56 near the intersection of Delmar Boulevard and Union Boulevard.
The Infiniti driver called the police, and Stepney’s passenger aimed fire at the Jeep. Police used spike stripes to slow the Jeep, but Stepheny kept driving before crashing into the minivan at Delmar Boulevard and Union Boulevard.
An 11-year-old girl, 52-year-old Anngelique Simmons, 47-year-old Ephriam Simmons, 44-year-old Luther Simmons, and 34-year-old Lahronda Simmons were killed.
Two other minivan passengers, an 8-year-old and a 16-year-old girl, survived and were sent to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Police said Stephney ran away from the scene, went to a homeowner, and asked the homeowner to use their phone to call his mother to pick him up. He returned to the crash scene and was arrested 12 days after the crash.
Police also arrested two other men for their involvement in the collision. They were identified as Walter Burton and Jayden Holland.
Holland was charged with five counts of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and six counts of felony stealing. Burton was also charged with five counts of second-degree murder and theft-related crimes.
If your loved ones were killed in a collision caused by the negligence of another, it’s essential that you give yourself the time and space to heal and turn to TorHoerman Law for support. Our team of St. Louis wrongful death lawyers is prepared to fight aggressively for your right to justice. Don’t wait. Set up a free, no obligation consultation online or by phone at (314) 325-1369 today.
