By Suzanne Le Breton

Pontchartrain Newspapers

A 41-year-old Laplace man found guilty in September of negligent homicide was sentenced Wednesday by District Judge William Crain to 50 years in jail after he was found to be a career criminal.

Troy Vollentine, who has a lengthy conviction record in his home parish of St. John the Baptist, was arrested last September after the 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck he was driving swerved on Louisiana Highway 21 near Bush, crossed the centerline and crashed into a 2008 Nissan Altima driven by a 16-year-old girl. Theresa Mohon, also 16, of Angie was riding in the passenger seat of the car. Her 9-year-old brother was in the back seat.

The driver of the Altima, Vollentine and Mohon’s brother sustained minor to moderate injuries, but Mahon was not so lucky.

When the pick-up truck impacted the Altima, Mahon was not wearing her seatbelt and she died days later from the injuries she sustained in the crash.

A witness told State Police at the scene that Vollentine had been swerving on the highway before the crash occurred.

State Police further stated Vollentine was acting erratically at the time of the incident and initial urine test found traces of drugs in his system, prompting responding officers to charge him with vehicular homicide.

However, toxicology results from the State Police Crime Lab came back negative, and the charge was reduced to negligent homicide.

He was also charged and convicted of two counts of negligent injuring.

In 2003 Vollentine was convicted of simple burglary, in 1995 for possession of cocaine and in 1993 for second-degree battery.

Because of his prior convictions, Vollentine faced a possible life sentence.