JEFFERSON COUNTY — A 23-year-old Mt. Vernon man was sentenced Thursday in Jefferson County Court to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on a reduced charge of reckless homicide in connection with a July crash that claimed the life of a 17-year-old Salem man and injured four others.

Quentin Metje has remained in the Jefferson County Jail since his July arrest with bail set at $100,000. He was initially charged with Class 2 felony aggravated DUI resulting in a fatal accident, two counts Class 4 aggravated DUI resulting in bodily harm and misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol.

The most serious charge against Metje was for the death of Roudey Hensley. Roudey attended Salem High School and would have been a senior this year. The other two felony charges were for injuries suffered by two other occupants in the vehicle with Roudey at the time of the crash.

According to State Police reports, Metje ran a stop sign on Triton Lane and crashed into the car driven by a 16-year-old Salem juvenile that was traveling on State Route 148 just south of Mt. Vernon.

The teen driver and four passengers from the car, 20-year old Alex Phillips, two other 16-year olds, one male and one female, as well as Hensley, all from Salem, were transported to area hospitals.

Hensley was airlifted from the scene and died three days later at St. Louis University Hospital.  The other occupants were treated and released from the hospital. Metje and a passenger in his truck were not hurt.

In October Metje entered into an agreement with prosecutors in which he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of Class 3 felony reckless homicide with a motor vehicle in exchange for the other charges being dismissed.