FirstAlerts

Two men sentenced in separate fatal DUI crashes

Justin Echternacht and Nicholas Shane Meeks received prison terms in two unrelated cases, with conflicting reports on the lengths of their sentences.

3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 22, 2026, 11:50 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 22, 2026, 2:22 p.m. ET
Developing · checked 2h ago

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 22, 2026, 12:10 p.m. ET — checked 2h ago.

Two men have been in separate fatal DUI crashes, according to reports from weartv.com and foxcarolina.com. The sentences were announced on August 19, 2026. Justin Echternacht was to , according to weartv.com, while foxcarolina.com reported a sentence of . The discrepancy in the reported sentences could not be reconciled from the available information. Nicholas Shane Meeks was also , with foxcarolina.com reporting and weartv.com reporting 14 years. The reports also conflict on the details of the incidents: weartv.com says Echternacht drove over the center line and collided headfirst with a pickup truck, killing the driver, while under the influence; foxcarolina.com says The cases were handled by different prosecutorial offices, with foxcarolina.com naming the and weartv.com naming the . The Florida Highway Patrol was involved in the investigation, according to weartv.com. Both men were charged with four counts of reckless homicide, as reported by foxcarolina.com. The cause of the crashes has not been determined, and the conflicting reports do not allow for a definitive account of the events.

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 22, 2026, 11:52 a.m. ET

    DeFuniak Springs man sentenced to 14 years for fatal DUI crash

    Justin Echternacht, of DeFuniak Springs, was sentenced to 14 years in state prison on August 19, 2026, according to WEARTV.com. The sentence stems from a fatal crash in 2023.

    According to the State Attorney's Office, Echternacht drove his truck over the center line of Highway 90 and collided headfirst into a pickup truck, killing the driver, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crash.

  2. Aug 22, 2026, 11:50 a.m. ETFirst report

    DeFuniak Springs man sentenced to 14 years for fatal DUI crash

    A DeFuniak Springs man has been sentenced to 14 years in state prison for a fatal DUI crash that occurred in 2023, according to WEARTV.

    Justin Echternacht was sentenced on August 19, 2026, after the State Attorney's Office prosecuted the case. The Florida Highway Patrol investigated the incident.

    According to WEARTV, Echternacht drove his truck over the center line of Highway 90 and collided headfirst into a pickup truck, killing the driver, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

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Revision history

  1. Version 122 Aug 2026, 18:22current

    First published.

  2. Version 122 Aug 2026, 15:50current

    First published.

  3. Version 122 Aug 2026, 15:52current

    First published.

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