Woodstock Man Sentenced After Crash That Killed Landscape Worker

A man convicted in a fatal crash that killed a landscape worker in 2020 will serve six years in prison, the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office announced.

On July 24, Senior Superior Court Judge Walter J. Matthews sentenced Patrick Emerson Thomas, 69, of Woodstock, to 15 years, with the first 6 years to serve in prison and the remainder on probation, for two counts of first degree homicide by vehicle, one count of reckless driving, and one count of driving under the influence (less safe, drugs).

Thomas was convicted of these charges by a Cherokee County jury June 20, after a four-day trial.

Charges stem from a fatal crash on November 17, 2020, in the Towne Lake area of Woodstock.

According to the district attorney’s office, that afternoon Thomas drove his black 2018 Ford Mustang through the neighborhood, driving over the posted speed limit, and crashed into Justiniano “Papi” Pirir-Pirir, 59, killing him on impact, prosecutors said. The cause of death was massive blunt force traumatic injuries.

Pirir-Pirir was part of a landscape crew working at a home on Eagle Watch Drive. He lived in Acworth and is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.

At the time of the crash, Pirir-Pirir was directly behind a large Isuzu landscape truck, which was parked on the right side of the road, with hazard lights flashing. After striking Pirir-Pirir, the Mustang crashed into the truck, pushing it forward and causing the car’s airbags to deploy.

Thomas told Cherokee Sheriff’s Office detectives that he couldn’t see the truck because the sun was in his eyes. However, evidence showed the sun was not a factor, prosecutors said, and Thomas was traveling at least 13 mph over the speed limit at the time.

Thomas was not injured but showed signs of impairment, and admitted to taking a prescription medication, which is known to cause sleepiness and blurred vision. CSO deputies conducted field sobriety tests on scene, and blood drawn hours after the crash showed the medication was still in his system.

During the trial from June 17-20, jurors heard from witnesses including law enforcement officers, drug recognition and forensics experts, and eyewitnesses.

The state also presented more than 100 exhibits, including scene photos and home surveillance video footage showing the crash.

In victim impact statements presented at the sentencing hearing, two of Pirir-Pirir’s family members shared their loss and the impact his death has had on the family emotionally and financially.

Prosecutors argued for a sentence of 15 years, with eight years to serve in prison. The defense recommended a sentence of 15 years to serve on house arrest, during which Thomas would be prohibited from driving.

While arguing that house arrest was not an appropriate sentence, Assistant District Attorney Pete Lamb said that just before the fatal crash, the defendant aggressively tailgated another driver, to the point that the other driver changed course to get away from him.

“Throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case, this defendant claimed it was ‘just’ an accident and showed no remorse for his actions. This was no accident,” Lamb said. “Mr. Pirir-Pirir was crushed by the defendant’s car, killed by an aggressive driver who endangered multiple lives as he sped through that neighborhood that day.”

Within minutes of the crash, a school bus approached, and bystanders stopped the bus so that the children did not see the crash scene.

“Had this defendant not hit Mr. Pirir-Pirir and the landscaping truck, children getting off that school bus would likely have been in serious danger of this defendant,” Lamb said. “It may be that this tragedy saved other lives that day.”

In addition to his prison and probation sentence, Thomas is ordered to serve 240 hours of community service, undergo evaluation and treatment for substance abuse, use no alcohol and illegal drugs, complete a MADD Impact Panel and Risk Reduction class, and pay a $5,000 fine, in addition to other court costs. Thomas must also surrender his license and is forbidden to drive for the duration of his sentence.

“This defendant acted in complete disregard for the safety of others when he chose to drive impaired, ultimately taking the life of Mr. Pirir-Pirir. This sentence protects our community by ensuring that this defendant cannot legally drive for the next 15 years,” District Attorney Susan Treadaway said. “No sentence can replace the loss of a life. We are hopeful that closure of this case brings some measure of peace to this grieving family.”