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
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.
Earlier reports
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.
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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- Version 122 Aug 2026, 18:22current
First published.
- Version 122 Aug 2026, 15:50current
First published.
- Version 122 Aug 2026, 15:52current
First published.
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