Rodgers Pleads Guilty in Macon County Fatal Crash

An Effingham man will be sentenced in October after pleading guilty to a Macon County count of aggravated DUI involving death or injury.

33-year-old Richard Rodgers, Jr. was driving a vehicle that collided with another unit in August 2015, resulting in the death of the other driver.

Rodgers pleaded guilty to his role in the death of 34-year-old Justin Baker of Shelbyville on a road near Macon, which is located south of Decatur. He admitted to being under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.

In addition to Baker being killed, his four-year-old son was injured in the crash. Rodgers was also injured and hospitalized after the crash.

The charge to which Rodgers pleaded guilty is a Class 2 felony, typically punishable by a sentence of from three to seven years, although probation is also an option.

Rodgers is to be sentenced on October 13. His trial was to take place this month.