A Mississippi teen has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) advocate in a drunk driving incident.

On October 7, 2022, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department responded to Highway 471 in Brandon for a head-on collision in which the victim, Beverly Luckett, 62, did not survive. The other driver, Colby James Tackett, 17, was reportedly intoxicated and swerved his vehicle into the victim’s lane, resulting in Luckett’s death.

Tackett, 17, has pleaded guilty in the case, according to an announcement by Madison/Rankin County District Attorney Bubba Bramlett on Tuesday.

Tackett’s conviction stems from an aggravated driving under the influence charge, resulting in the death of Luckett, a respected nurse and dedicated MADD advocate. The court imposed the maximum sentence, with ten years suspended, leaving Tackett to serve the remaining term behind bars, followed by supervised probation.

The case garnered significant attention as it emerged that Tackett had a prior run-in with the law just days before the fatal collision. Records reveal that he had been arrested for underage drinking less than two weeks before the tragic incident.

The fatal crash occurred on October 7, when Tackett, with a blood alcohol level of .131, veered into Luckett’s lane, resulting in a head-on collision. The legal limit for blood alcohol content in Mississippi is .08.