The man responsible for an accident that killed three people in Cookeville had methamphetamine in his system.
A TBI toxicology report revealed 25-year-old Michael Don Shepherd of Pegram had 1.9 ug/ml of meth in his blood at the time of the January accident. Thirteenth Judicial District Attorney Bryant Dunaway said that is a very high amount of drugs.
“When the court is deciding what bond is appropriate, one of the factors that is to be considered is the likelihood of convection,” Dunaway said. “That fact of having a high methamphetamine level is certainly indicative of the likelihood of convection for vehicular homicide by intoxication.”
Shepherd’s bond was set at $775,000, according to Dunaway. $250,000 for each count of vehicular homicide by intoxication in the deaths of Amanda Chatman and her two sons and one charge for evading arrest.
Dunaway said the preliminary hearing for the case is scheduled for March 10th. Shepherd is currently being held in the Putnam County Jail.
Chatman was driving north on South Willow Avenue the morning of January 26th when Shepherd was driving a Toyota Tacoma at a high rate of speed west on Interstate Drive after a high speed pursuit.
Shepherd struck the passenger side of Chatman’s Nissan Versa in the intersection of South Willow Avenue and Interstate Drive. Shepard received minor injuries while Chatman and her two sons died on the scene.
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