Just over a year after the fatal wreck in Lee County that took the life of an Oxford teacher, the driver responsible learned of their fate.

Joseph Britt was sentenced to 25 years in prison at a Lee County courtroom on Friday. Britt, 36, accepted a plea deal on Feb. 20 for two counts of DUI-Maiming and one count of DUI-Death. On Feb. 15, 2018 Britt collided head on with Oxford Intermediate School teacher Sherry Buford on Interstate-22 near Mooreville.

Buford, and the four passengers in the vehicle, were driving back from watching a basketball game at Itawamba Community College when the wreck occurred. In January, Sandra ‘Kay’ Phillips Buford passed away after succumbing to injuries suffered in the accident.

Lafayette girls’ basketball player Azariah Buford was also one of the passengers and sustained injuries from the wreck.

Britt was facing a maximum of 75 years. Two sentences will be served concurrently and the third sentence was suspended with five years probation.

During the sentencing hearing on Friday there were 85-minutes worth of impact statements made by the victims’ families who were in attendance. Britt also had people at the hearing who provided statements on his behalf to Circuit Court Judge John White.