COLUMBUS MAN SENTENCED IN FATAL CRASH THAT KILLED FORMER WAYNE COUNTY RESIDENT

A Columbus, Indiana, man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a high-speed, drug-impaired crash that claimed the life of a former Wayne County resident last year. Jerrin Alan Staker, 44, pleaded guilty Monday in Johnson Superior Court 3 to operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death and admitted to a habitual offender enhancement. The sentence was announced Wednesday by the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office. The crash occurred on July 6, 2025, at the intersection of North Morton Street and Commerce Drive in Franklin, Indiana. Investigators said Staker was driving a Jeep southbound at speeds estimated to exceed 100 miles per hour, weaving through traffic and ignoring traffic signals before running a red light and colliding with a vehicle driven by Braden Christopher Robertson, 29, who was legally turning onto Commerce Drive. Robertson died at the scene. The Franklin Police Department’s investigation found drug paraphernalia inside Staker’s vehicle. A court-authorized blood test showed high levels of methamphetamine and fentanyl in his system, and authorities said Staker admitted to emergency medical personnel that he had used drugs before the crash. During the sentencing hearing, Staker accepted responsibility for the crash and apologized to Robertson’s family. Robertson’s mother, Jennifer Robertson, spoke about her son’s life and legacy, telling the court that his decision to become an organ donor has already helped save the lives of others. Johnson County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matthew Kubacki said the sentence holds Staker accountable for the choices that led to Robertson’s death, while Prosecutor Lance Hamner praised the Franklin Police Department for its investigation and said he hopes the sentence provides the Robertson family with some measure of peace.