Defendant Sentenced for Shooting that Caused Fatal Car Accident

June 27, 2024, Peoria, IL- Yesterday, Demetrius D. Drummond, 35, was sentenced to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections after being convicted this past April for Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm. Just before 1 am on October 28, 2023, Drummond was at a party in the 200 block of East Thrush Avenue in the East Bluff. After arguing with another partygoer, Drummond recklessly fired his gun in the air and caused a commotion in the street as several people began to flee. During that panic, 24-year-old Kobe Johnson was tragically struck and killed by a car.

During yesterday's sentencing hearing, Johnson's mother spoke directly to Drummond, graciously stating she knew he never intended for this tragedy to occur. Still, she had one wish: that he thinks of Johnson every day he is in prison. Assistant State's Attorney Deb Shelby argued that Drummond's bad choices have led to bad consequences and asked that he be punished to the maximum allowed by the law.

Judge Paul Gilfillan sentenced Drummond to nine years on the Unlawful Possession of a Weapon charge and six years on the Reckless Discharge of a Firearm charge and to be served one right after the other, making Drummond's sentence a total of 15 years in prison.

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