April South Pleads Guilty; Sentenced to Six Years for Vehicular Homicide

In the Jackson County courtroom of Judge John Wootten, South took a 6 year range 2 sentence to serve at the Tennessee Department of Corrections. South was driving on a suspended license when the incident occurred and her license has been revoked for 10 years.

April South was scheduled to appear before Judge Wootten next week in Macon County, however her attorney wasn’t going to be available. Therefore, she appeared before Judge Wootten this week in Jackson County, with her attorney present.

As you may recall, on Friday, May 17, 2013, then 37-year-old April South and her 34-year-old boyfriend, James Richard Chitwood, were traveling north on the Rocky Mound Road in a Honda Accord. Apparently something transpired between the couple and Chitwood had gotten out of the automobile and was walking down the road. South got behind the wheel and then struck her boyfriend with the car.

James Richard Chitwood died two days later at Vanderbilt Medical Center, in Nashville, Tn. The couple was reported to have been living in the Hanestown Community of Macon County at the time of the deadly incident.

She was later indicted for vehicular homicide by recklessness during a special session of the Macon County Grand Jury in March of 2014.

The indictment stated: The Grand Jurors of Macon County, Tennessee, duly empanelled and sworn upon their oath present that April Michelle South on May 17, 2103 in Macon County, Tennessee, and before the finding of the indictment, did unlawfully and recklessly kill James Richard Chitwood by the operation of an automobile, the killing of James Richard Chitwood being the proximate result of April Michelle South’s conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury in violation of T.C.A. 39-13-213, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Tennessee.