A man charged with three counts of homicide is sentenced in Bartow Superior Court. Fifty-two-year-old Rex Scott Cruce was arrested and charged with homicide by vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, four counts of driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, possession of drug-related objects, and failure to maintain lane. He received a 15-year sentence with three years to serve incarcerated and the remainder on probation. Once released from prison, Cruce must complete 200 hours of community service and speak to youth about the dangers of driving under the influence.
On November 11, 2018, Cruce and his son traveled along I-75, passing through Bartow County. While driving to work, Cruce lost consciousness and crashed his truck, killing his only surviving child, 28-year-old Jared Cruce. He tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamine, and marijuana. Approximately one year earlier, Cruce learned his older son had been murdered. According to court documents, Cruce was using drugs to deal with grief caused by the death of his older son.