Man Sentenced To 11 Years For DUI Crash That Killed Rocky Mount Officer

An Ohio man convicted in February of causing an October 11 head-on collision that caused the death of a police officer from Rocky Mount while driving under the influence was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

In February, Brooks Ryan Leisure was convicted on charges of aggravated involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor DUI in the death of Jason William Maxey. On May 28, he was sentenced in Roanoke Circuit Court to 10 years in prison, with another 10 years suspended, on the manslaughter charge and another 12 months in prison on the DUI charge.

According to court testimony, on the night of the incident, Leisure consumed liquor and beer at All Sports Café on Grandin Road before moving to Awful Arthur’s at Towers Shopping Center to continue drinking. He then left the bar to go to the home of a friend.

Witnesses say that shortly before 2 a.m., the Isuzu Rodeo Leisure was driving turned off Colonial Avenue. He tried to enter an exit ramp from southbound U.S. 220, where he collided head-on with the Chevrolet Malibu driven by Maxey. Both vehicles were estimated to have been traveling at more than 60 mph.

Accordingly to the toxicology reports, Leisure’s blood-alcohol content at the time of the collision was 0.19 percent, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. He also had marijuana present in his system. Tests showed Maxey to have been drinking that night, as he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.09 percent.