CORINTH, Miss. — A Corinth man was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for manslaughter in connection with a fatal vehicle crash in 2024.
Michael Wayne Hawley, 46, pleaded guilty to culpable negligence manslaughter in Alcorn County Circuit Court. Judge Michael P. Mills Jr. sentenced Hawley to 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Upon release, Hawley will be on five years of post-release supervision, according to court records.
The charge stems from an April 25, 2024, crash on Highway 72 near Galyean Road. The victim, William Pady, was unresponsive when emergency responders arrived and later died at Magnolia Regional Health Center.
Investigators from the Corinth Police Department, including Detective Michael Suitor and Trooper First Class Todd Davis, determined Hawley was driving recklessly at high speeds—up to 103 miles per hour in the five seconds before the crash. Evidence included witness statements, surveillance footage, vehicle data, and accident reconstruction.
The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Jason D. Herring and assistant district attorneys Kyle Robbins and Clay Cummings. The sentencing followed a hearing featuring witness testimony and video evidence documenting the crash, according to court officials.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
