Picayune Man gets 18 years in North Shore crash that killed girlfriend, unborn child

District Attorney Warren Montgomery reports in a press release that Matthew Oneal, Sr., age 26, of Picayune, was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday, June 20th, for vehicular homicide and third degree feticide in the deaths of his girlfriend and their unborn child in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 59 in Pearl River three years ago.

District Judge Richard A. Swartz, Jr., sentenced Oneal to 18 years on the vehicular homicide charge and five years on the feticide charge, but the sentences are to be served at the same time. Just prior to imposing the sentence, Swartz said this was a “tragic situation” and that any lesser sentence would deprecate the serious nature of the offenses.

The 19-year-old victim was eight months pregnant when she was killed in the crash. She and the couple’s two-year-old son were in an SUV, being operated by Oneal on the night of February 29, 2015. Oneal crossed the center line and struck a tree on the opposite side of the road and ended up in a ditch. The victim was killed instantly. The 2-year-old was secured in a car seat and did not suffer any serious injuries.

Oneal attempted to flee after the accident, leaving his family at the scene. He was apprehended by good Samaritans on the scene. His blood tested positive for synthetic cannabinoi