Lawrence man sentenced to prison for fatal DUI crash

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Adrian J. Martinez, 39, of Lawrence, was sentenced to a total of 109 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence and aggravated battery while driving under the influence for causing the 2022 New Year’s Day crash that killed a 20-year-old Lawrence man.

Judge Amy Hanley sentenced Martinez, who accepted a plea agreement in January, to 75 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) for involuntary manslaughter-DUI and 34 months in the KDOC for aggravated battery-DUI. Upon release from prison, Martinez will serve 36 months post-release supervision.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred shortly after midnight in the 2500 block of West 6th Street on January 1, 2022. Martinez was the sole occupant in a vehicle headed westbound when he crossed the center line while traveling approximately 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. Martinez collided with an eastbound vehicle, carrying three occupants. Two of the occupants received serious injuries and the third, James Henderson Jr., died from his injuries.

“As we heard at sentencing, countless lives have been negatively impacted by one terrible and completely avoidable decision,” District Attorney Suzanne Valdez said. “Those who choose to drive drunk must be held accountable for the pain they cause.”

The State was represented by Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden. The case was investigated by the Accident Investigation Unit of the Lawrence Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.