This crash led to a death and closed I-84. An Idaho man was sentenced for causing it

A Parma man was driving east on Interstate 84 in May 2021 when his car clipped a semitrailer, causing a chain-reaction wreck that ultimately involved 10 vehicles and left one woman dead.

Last Thursday, Dalton Leonard, 29, was sentenced to jail time and probation after pleading guilty to a vehicular manslaughter charge. He also will have his driver’s license suspended for three years, according to a news release from the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.

Leonard cut in front of and struck a semitrailer carrying 65,000 pounds of lumber on May 11, 2021. That collision forced the semitrailer out of its lane and through the freeway’s median, and it struck another tractor-trailer before bursting into flames.

Nine vehicles other than Leonard’s wound up being involved and damaged, and all westbound and eastbound lanes of I-84 remained closed for several hours.

Julia Goodwin, 27, of Boise, was taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, where she died from her injuries four days after the crash.

In August 2021, Leonard was charged with felony vehicular manslaughter, two counts of felony aggravated driving under the influence and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, with intent to use. The news release said he had THC from marijuana, which is illegal in Idaho, in his blood.

He pleaded guilty in June 2022 to felony vehicular manslaughter, and the other charges were dropped as part of a plea deal.

Fourth District Judge Patrick Miller sentenced Leonard to 90 days in jail, with the option of work release, and 10 years of probation.