Man who killed Highland woman in head-on crash found guilty of aggravated DUI
Police said he was driving more than 100 mph and was high on marijuana when the truck he was driving crossed the center lane and crashed head on to another truck, causing the death of a Highland woman.
On Friday, Wayne Stayton, 41, of Collinsville, was found guilty on two counts of aggravated DUI causing death by a jury in Madison County.
Charlene Johnson, 45, was on her way to work about 4 a.m. on Feb. 23, 2018, when the crash occurred on U.S. 40 near Kennedy Lane in Highland. The mother of two children worked as a laborer and volunteered her time to the Alhambra Jaycees and other causes. She was declared dead at the scene.
“This was a complicated case. The thorough work of investigators allowed the prosecution team to show the jury what caused this tragedy – the defendant’s choice to become impaired and get behind the wheel,” Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said. “His decisions and actions resulted in the loss of an innocent motorist who was loved tremendously by her family, her co-workers and her community.”
Jurors deliberated about five hours before returning the verdict Friday evening. Stayton faces three to 14 years in prison when he is sentenced later.
After the verdict, Associate Judge Ronald Slemer ordered that Stayton’s bail be revoked, and that he be held in the Madison County Jail pending sentencing. Stayton had been free on a $10,000 cash bond.
Stayton, who admitted to police at the time that he had been speeding, suffered a broken leg in the crash. It was at the hospital that he tested positive for cannabis and and benzodiazepines.
His ex-wife, Stephanie Stayton, said he was in the midst of a “psychotic break,” prompting her to seek an order of protection days later. According to her application, Stayton’s 17-year-old son called his grandmother, saying his dad was “acting psychotic.”
The 17-year-old said his father grabbed his 7-year-old daughter out of her bed and ran down the stairs with her shouting, “Shaun is evil; they are coming for us right now. They are going to hurt you.” Wayne Stayton’s brother’s name is Shaun, according to Stephanie Stayton.
According to the petition, the daughter was screaming at her dad not to take her while her father said she was “going to be safe with the angels now and no one will ever hurt you again.” The 17-year-old said he got his sister away from his father and hid her.
Stayton left the house and drove away with “no shoes, no coat, no phone and no bank card,” leaving the children home alone. Within the hour, he drove his truck head on into Charlene Johnson’s vehicle, killing her.
Stephanie Stayton said the two divorced in 2012 because of his substance abuse problems but to her knowledge, he had gotten clean. The day of the crash, however, her children started telling her about their father’s drug use and erratic behavior.
Court records in St. Clair County show that Stayton had a previous DUI charge in 2000 that was dismissed in 2002 after he completed outpatient alcohol treatment and two years of court supervision. He was arrested again in 2002 in Madison County and pleaded guilty to DUI. It was dismissed after he once again completed two years of court supervision.
“Even with the increased acceptance and legalization of marijuana, driving while impaired on this drug is still illegal,” Haine said. “Those who choose to drive while high – or who smoke marijuana while driving – face prosecution and potentially jail time. Marijuana is a potent drug, not to be used carelessly and in ways that make our roadways hazardous to others.”
