A 46-year-old Mendon man who was charged with a felony relating to the death of person who was in his vehicle as he drove around barricades on a roadway in Chariton County on May 31, 2019, changed his plea in court last month and has been sentenced to spend some time in state prison.
According to authorities, James W. Pleasant drove his vehicle through barricades which stated Route M was closed due to flooding; and 32-year-old Alicia L. Meyer, who reportedly was his fiancé and primarily confined to a wheelchair, was inside the vehicle at the time. After the vehicle was swept off the roadway into the floodwaters, Pleasant was able to escape and swim to safety; however, Meyer was trapped in the vehicle and died. Her body was located in the submerged vehicle on June 4.
Court documents say Pleasant withdrew his not-guilty plea and pleaded guilty to a Class C Felony for Involuntary Manslaughter in the First Degree on January 9.
On Thursday, February 6, at Chariton County Circuit Court, Pleasant was sentenced to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.