MOBILE, Ala. — A Wilmer woman convicted in the 2021 death of a tow truck driver will not serve jail time after a judge handed down a suspended sentence on Thursday.

Elizabeth Sprinkle was originally charged with manslaughter in the December 13, 2021 crash that killed tow operator Jonathan Neesmith, who was working on the shoulder of the interstate when he was struck. A jury in September found her guilty of the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.

On Thursday, a judge sentenced Sprinkle to one year, but suspended the jail term. She will instead serve two years of probation, complete 100 hours of community service, and attend driving classes.

According to FOX10, prosecutors argued during trial that Sprinkle was impaired at the time of the crash. The defense countered that she was taking a legally prescribed medication — tramadol — and that it did not affect her driving.

Neesmith, a husband and father of four, was loading a disabled vehicle onto his tow truck on the interstate shoulder when Sprinkle approached, failed to slow down, and moved into the lane closest to where he was working. Investigators said she drifted too far as she changed lanes and struck Neesmith. He later died at the hospital.

Neesmith's death remains a stark reminder of move-over law dangers faced by tow truck operators and roadside workers.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.