A Russell Springs man who was facing a murder charge and four counts of assault stemming from a May 2020 car accident pled guilty in Russell Circuit Court on Tuesday to amended charges, according to court records.
As part of the plea, Haiden Cain’s murder charge was amended to a second degree manslaughter charge, and two first degree assault charges were amended to two second degree assault charges. Cain, 30, was also charged with two additional second degree assault charges, DUI second offense, speeding 26 miles per hour or more over the limit, failure to give oncoming vehicle half of the highway, and reckless driving.
Under the guilty plea to the charges and amended charges, Commonwealth Attorney Matthew Leveridge recommended a sentence of 1o years on the manslaughter charge and a total of 10 years on the remaining charges with several of those running concurrently to each other, for a total of 20 years to serve.
Cain, who was indicted last year, was facing the charges from an auto collision in which law enforcement officials said he was traveling north on U.S. 127 when he attempted to pass a vehicle in a non-passing zone and collided with another vehicle.
Cain’s vehicle left the roadway and flipped multiple times. The crash resulted in the death of 26-year-old Janson Sallee, a passenger in Cain’s vehicle. Two individuals in the other vehicle were flown from the scene of that wreck and two minors were in the other vehicle.
Formal sentencing will be on October 25th. Cain, who was out on bond, was taken into custody and lodged in the Russell County Detention Center.