Slayton Sentenced in Fatal Crash of Sgt. Cherry

Devin Slayton

Devin L. Slayton, 25, who had pled guilty to vehicular homicide in the 2023 drunk driving crash that claimed the life of Macon County Sergeant William Cherry, was sentenced to the maximum sentence by Judge Brody Kane, 12 years to serve at 100% with no parole. At the sentencing hearing on February 13, 2025, the judge also suspended Slayton’s driver’s license for a period of three years.

The court heard from Sgt. John McFarland, an accident reconstructionist for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Sgt. Jeff Brown, an investigator for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Sheriff Joey Wilburn, Mr. Billy Cherry (father of William Cherry), and Alethia Cherry (wife of William Cherry).

It had been determined that Devin Slayton crossed the center line and hit Sgt. Cherry in July of 2023. His blood alcohol result was 0.154, almost twice the legal limit. Slayton admitted to officers that he had been drinking that night prior to getting behind the wheel of the car.

“I am appreciative of the careful attention Judge Kane showed in going through all of the proof and the law to arrive at the maximum sentence in this case,” said District Attorney General Jason Lawson. “I hope that the sentence will bring as much justice as the law allows to Sgt. Cherry’s family and to the community he served.”