Robby Robertson
The Athens Review
ATHENS — A Gun Barrel City man agreed to a 7-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for an accident involving a death in January of 2009.
Dylan Whitten was charged with intoxicated manslaughter after he lost control of his 1997 Dodge, and it hit a telephone pole, and killed 18-year-old Eric Branch of Gun Barrel City. Whitten was found to be legally drunk at the time of the crash.
According to GBC police reports, Branch was a passenger in the car driven by Whitten, who police said is not licensed to drive. Officers at the scene said the car was traveling at a high rate of speed when Whitten lost control of the vehicle.
The southbound car hit a telephone post just off Legendary Lane, then reportedly traveled 142 feet in the air. The car then continued south before going through a chain-link fence.
The vehicle came to rest only after striking a tree “dead center” in the back yard of a residence at 102 Ford Circle in the Mantle Manor subdivision, according to the reports.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Martin said knowing the cost and hazards of a hearing, the two sides worked out a deal.
“We just knew how hard it would be on the families,” Martin said. “We were able to work out a deal that was best for both parties.”
Martin said Whitten would have to serve at least two years before he would be eligible for parole.
“The family of the victim was very pleased at the deal we were able to make,” Martin said. “We would not have made this deal without their approval.”
