A welcome sign outside Fort Cavazos, Texas. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)
A Fort Cavazos soldier was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to crashing his car in nearby Killeen while driving drunk and killing another soldier, according to Army prosecutors.
Spc. Zean Jones, 24, admitted in a Fort Cavazos courtroom Thursday to driving at high speeds after drinking alcohol, which led to the traffic accident that killed Staff Sgt. Christian Williams Sr., 32, on Nov. 7, 2023, according to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel.
He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, drunken operation of a vehicle and reckless endangerment. Jones is being held in the Bell County Jail until he is transferred to a military prison.
Military Judge Col. Maureen Kohn also sentenced Jones to a dishonorable discharge.
“This case was a great example of the newly created Office of Special Trial Counsel working with the Bell County District Attorney’s office to ensure justice in the interest of all parties,” said Maj. Tara Goble, prosecutor for the case. “My heart goes out to the Williams family and the four children who will never see their father again. It is my hope that this sentence gives a sense of closure, as they move forward, picking up the pieces from what Spc. Jones took from them on that horrific November day.”
The accident occurred at about 5:32 p.m., according to the Killeen Police Department. Jones had been at a party drinking alcohol for about an hour when he offered to give another soldier a ride back to base in his blue Nissan Altima, according to prosecutors.
Driving 93 mph on Rancier Avenue, where the speed limit is 55 mph, Jones struck Williams, who was turning left from Benttree Drive onto Rancier in a black Chevrolet Traverse.
All three involved were taken to a local hospital, where Jones’ blood alcohol concentration registered at .217 — nearly three times the legal limit, according to prosecutors.
Williams was a unit supply sergeant who enlisted in May 2013, according to his official service record. During his service, he collected more than a dozen awards, including five Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals and a Korean Defense Service Medal.
At the time of the accident, Jones was assigned to the 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, as a small arms repairer, according to Fort Cavazos. He then moved to the Soldier Recovery Unit, which is designed to manage the recovery of wounded, ill and injured soldiers.
He was previously assigned to Fort Gregg-Adams, Va., and Fort Sill, Okla., for training.
