Athens, GA – An Athens-Clarke County judge sentenced a man to 20 years of prison after a drunk driving accident left a Kennesaw State University woman partially paralyzed. William Heaton accepted 7 of 13 charges against him for striking Emily Bowman in February 2013.

The Bowman family, including Debbie Bowman pushing Emily in a wheelchair, walked out of the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court and gave interviews to waiting reporters. Grady Newsource reporter Jordan Lee was there and was able to get the family’s reactions to the plea deal that William Heaton accepted.

Heaton was originally charged with 6 counts of serious injury by vehicle, as well as various counts of driving under the influence, leaving the scene, failure to report an accident, reckless driving, and possession of an open container in a motor vehicle. As a result of the 7 charges he accepted, he will face 10 years of confinement and 10 years of probation.