Man sentenced after wrong-way crash that killed baby in East St. Louis
A wrong-way driver fleeing authorities who crashed into a family’s car, killing their 8-month-old baby in the back seat, was sentenced to prison during a plea hearing Tuesday.
Rashad Alston, 29, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony; leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a Class 4 felony; and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury, a Class 4 felony.
St. Clair County Associate Judge Jeff Watson sentenced him to eight years in prison, with credit for the time served.
The fatal crash happened Saturday, July 2, 2022.
Parents Tanisha Smith, 38, and Percy Bean Jr., 35, were getting onto Interstate 255 at the State Street on-ramp in East St. Louis at about 6:30 a.m. when their vehicle was hit head-on by a car exiting the highway in the wrong direction.
Their baby, Marqiest Bean, died of blunt force trauma with instability of the neck, according to a list of facts agreed upon by the prosecution and defense that St. Clair County Assistant State’s Attorney Tara Mendola read during the hearing.
In a victim impact statement, Smith said that after the crash, she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and broken heart syndrome, a heart condition caused by stress and extreme emotion. She said she wanted to see and hear Alston’s remorse during the hearing.
“I’ve forgiven you. I deep down know it was a mistake,” Smith said in court. “… I wanted to look you in your face and see if you’re remorseful.”
Alston made a statement apologizing to the family and expressing remorse, saying the crash has changed his life.
“I wasn’t raised like that; I was just around the wrong crowd,” Alston said. “... I think about it all the time, and I’m very remorseful.”
He said he has two children of his own.
Before handing down the sentence, Watson noted that Alston’s criminal history before the fatal crash consisted of traffic violations.
Three other charges against him were dismissed as part of a plea agreement: two counts of aggravated reckless driving and one count of leaving the scene of an accident involving injury, all Class 4 felonies.
The family previously received $1.05 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit they filed against St. Clair County Sheriff’s deputies who initiated the pursuit. The complaint accused the officers of “creating life-threatening conditions to innocent bystanders,” in violation of their training and departmental policy.
The officers were responding to a report of an alleged home invasion in Belleville. They tried to stop a car matching the description of the suspects’ vehicle, but it fled.
“Continuing this pursuit, including the wrong way down the road, was reckless and could do exactly what happened here, get somebody killed,” the family stated in a court document.
In its responses to the lawsuit in St. Clair County Circuit Court, county officials denied the allegations.
As part of the settlement, the county agreed to pay $300,000. It asked Cahokia Heights to contribute another $50,000 toward the settlement, arguing the agency was leading the chase just before the crash. County insurance paid the remainder.
