An 18-year-old Texarkana woman who caused a man to lose his leg when she struck him with a pickup truck was sentenced to a 10-year term of probation Monday.
Angela Dawn Cox appeared before 5th District Judge Bill Miller with Texarkana lawyer Jeff Harrelson in a first-floor courtroom of the Bi-State Justice Building. Cox entered a no contest plea Aug. 7 to a charge of failure to stop and render aid in connection with a May 9 hit-and-run that left Michael Gentry permanently injured.
Cox's plea agreement, negotiated by Harrelson and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards, includes a requirement that Cox undergo residential substance abuse treatment at the Bowie County Women's Center under the supervision of the county's probation department. Cox received a deferred adjudication probation meaning she will not have a felony conviction on her record if she successfully completes probation.
If Cox violates the terms of her probation Miller has the option of setting aside the order deferring adjudication and imposing a final conviction of guilt. In that case, the court could sentence Cox to up to 10 years in prison. Cox was twice freed on bond since her arrest June 13. Her bond was revoked July 27 and she remained in jail until Aug. 7. After entering a no contest plea, Miller released Cox on a second bond pending sentencing. Cox was returned to jail later the same week for violating bond conditions concerning the use of drugs and alcohol, according to statements made in court Monday.
"No alcohol, no drugs while on probation. If you violate that you're looking at 10 years," Miller warned. "No alcohol and no drugs were also conditions of two bonds that were set for you and you did not comply with those terms and conditions."
Miller assessed court costs and ordered Cox to complete 240 hours of community service restitution. Miller said he would not assess restitution at this time because of a pending civil lawsuit Gentry recently filed seeking damages.
Gentry was standing at his mailbox on Farm to Market Road 559 in Texarkana, Texas, approximately 4 feet from the roadway fog line, when Cox veered out of her lane and struck him, according to a Texas Department of Transportation report. Evidence found at the scene led investigators to believe Gentry was hit by a Ford, and the truck was found in a local body shop the following day.
Gentry's lawsuit, pending before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell, accuses Cox of being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time of the collision. It also accuses Cox's mother of knowing of her daughter's alleged substance abuse problem and allowing her to drive her truck anyway.
The civil complaint seeks more than $1 million to compensate Gentry for his lost leg, past and future medical expenses, past and future mental anguish and past and future pain and suffering.