Sunrise Beach Man Involved In Fatal UTV Crash Sentenced To 4 Years Behind Bars

A Sunrise Beach man who entered a guilty plea in March of this year in connection to a fatal U-T-V accident in August of 2021 will spend the next four years in the department of corrections after being sentenced Thursday in Camden County Circuit Court.

It had been alleged that Ronald Weems was drunk at the time of the accident when the U-T-V he was driving too fast for conditions ran off the road and overturned hitting a tree.

One of his passengers, 51-year-old Neil Reams of Kansas, died as a result of his injuries suffered in the crash while a second passenger, Beth Reams also from Kansas, suffered minor injuries.

Weems, himself, was seriously hurt in the crash.

Formal sentencing on the plea had been delayed after three circuit court judges in Camden County were disqualified or recused themselves from the case.

The Honorable Brandon Baker was then assigned to preside over the case and sentencing.