Wayne County Outlook …

Posted January 22, 2020 at 9:10 am

A Wayne County man charged with murder in connection with the November 2016 death of his wife has entered a guilty plea to the charge of second degree manslaughter.

Allen Willoughby pled guilty to the amended charge during a hearing in Wayne Circuit Court on Tuesday, January 7.

Willoughby also pled guilty to a charge of wanton endangerment first degree.

The Commonwealth recommended a sentence of eight years on the manslaughter charge and five years on the charge of wanton endangerment.

The sentences are to run concurrently for a total of eight years, according to the plea agreement.

A third charge of persistent felony offender first degree was dismissed.

Willoughby was indicted for murder in November 2017, a year after his wife, Frances Marie Willoughby, died at the scene of a two-vehicle accident that occurred on the morning of November 21, 2016 on Highway 167.

The police report filed in the accident indicated that Allen Willoughby’s vehicle traveled across the center line and struck a log truck.

According to the indictment returned in the case, Willoughby was under the influence of drugs or intoxicants at the time of the accident.

Formal sentencing for Willoughby has been set for February 10 in Wayne Circuit Court.

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Action regarding filling the vacant Solid Waste Coordinator’s position has been tabled for the time being, after fiscal court failed to take action during its meeting on Thursday, January 9.

Tim Bell has resigned as Wayne County’s Solid Waste Coordinator.

During the meeting, Wayne County Judge-Executive Mike Anderson recommended that the court approve the appointment of Ricky Kempton as Assistant Solid Waste Coordinator–a temporary position for a set probationary period.

District One Magistrate Ronnie Turner made a motion to hire Kempton, but the motion died for lack of a second.

There was a question as to why Kempton was recommended for the Assistant Solid Waste Coordinator’s job, and Anderson replied that this is the agreement that he had reached with Kempton for a probationary period.

Later in the meeting, District Three Magistrate Dale Vaughn stated that the reason he did not second the motion was because it was his understanding that Kempton was going to be hired as Solid Waste Coordinator for a probationary period.

He added that he hoped the court could work out the details.

District Two Magistrate Jeffrey Dishman wished Bell well on his retirement, noting that his hard work resulted in the establishment of a model recycling program in Wayne County.