An 18-year-old Texarkana woman received a 10-year term of probation Monday for leaving the scene after running into a man who was checking his mail in May.
Angela Dawn Cox appeared with Texarkana attorney Jeff Harrelson for sentencing Monday morning before 5th District Judge Bill Miller. Cox pleaded no contest to the offense of failure to stop and render aid at a hearing earlier this month. Miller sentenced Cox to 10 years deferred adjudication probation. If Cox complies with the terms of her probation she will not have a conviction on her record. If she fails to comply, Cox could be adjudicated guilty and sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
In addition to standard conditions of probation, Cox must participate in a residential drug/alcohol treatment program through the Bowie County Women’s Center and complete 240 hours of community service. Cox will be required to regularly submit to random drug testing.
At Monday’s hearing, Miller warned Cox that using drugs and alcohol while on probation as she did while free on bond that she could be facing prison.
Miller held off on ordering Cox to pay restitution because of a pending civil lawsuit filed by Cox’s victim, Michael Gentry. Gentry alleges in the suit that Angela Cox was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol when she veered out of her lane and struck him where he stood near his mailbox about four feet away from the road’s fog line.
Gentry alleges that Brenda Cox, Angela Cox’s mother and a defendant in the civil case, was aware that her daughter had a problem with substance abuse but let her drive her Ford F150 truck despite that knowledge. Gentry is asking for more than $1 million.
