26-year-old Troy Durayale Milton, whom police say caused a near fatal fiery crash because of his decision to drink and drive, has been sentenced to anywhere between 19 months (1 year and 7 months) to 20 years in prison.

On October 2nd, in the Kent County Circuit Court, Milton pled no contest to two counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, which under Michigan law is a five year felony with a potential fine of up to $5,000.

The reason that the sentence appears so high when compared to the sentencing guidelines for this particular crime, is because Milton was also sentenced for a second unrelated charge pertaining to cocaine delivery. The drug charge resulted in a 1 to 20 year sentence, which will run concurrently with the OWI sentence of 10 months to 5 years.

The events that led to the drunk driving charges took place on the 19th of April. Police say that Milton was traveling north on Clyde Park Avenue at high speed when he struck a semi-truck that was in the process of turning out of a parking lot and about to head south.

The impact caused severe damage to the vehicle, and caused an engine fire that quickly spread. Witnesses to the accident intervened and pulled Milton and one of his passengers, 24-year-old Jacques Strong, out of the car before police arrived on the scene of the fiery crash.

When officers did arrive, the car was almost entirely engulfed in flames and concerned bystanders assisted the officers in pulling the last and final person from the burning car, 26-year-old Clarence Lewis. All three men were taken to a local hospital and treated for their injuries, of which Strong’s were apparently the worst.

Milton was initially charged with reckless driving, driving on a suspended license and two counts of drunk driving causing serious injury, but finally pled to two counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury in return for the prosecution agreeing to dismiss the other two charges.