A Sallisaw man has been charged with first-degree manslaughter and several related offenses following a deadly collision earlier this month that investigators described as a possible case of road rage.

Jimmy P. England, 21, of Sallisaw, was formally charged Oct. 15 in Sequoyah County District Court with first-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, reckless driving, operating a vehicle at a speed greater than reasonable and proper, and removing or affixing an improper license plate.

England pled not guilty to his charges and was released on a $5,000 bond. As of press time Tuesday, he is scheduled to appear before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters at 1:30 p.m.

The charges stem from an Oct. 4 crash on West Cherokee Ave. in Sallisaw that left Jeremy Cornelius, 39, with severe head injuries. Cornelius was transported by helicopter to Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, where he later died on Oct. 9, two days after his 39th birthday.

According to an affidavit filed by Sallisaw Police Detective Dale Chew, officers were called to the scene near Don’s Mobile Homes at around 11 a.m. after witnesses reported that a white pickup truck had struck a motorcyclist and fled.

When Chew arrived, officers had already determined that the motorcyclist, later identified as Cornelius, had been hit by a white fourdoor Chevrolet or GMC pickup with a loud exhaust and dark-tinted windows.

A single skid mark and several pieces of debris were found near the driveway of 2890 W. Cherokee Ave., including a driver-side fender flare consistent with that make and model truck.

Multiple witnesses told officers they believed the crash followed an act of road rage.

Eyewitness accounts

Body camera footage reviewed by investigators captured statements from several witnesses, including a man who said he saw the pickup “pushing the bike” before swerving around it and speeding away.

Another witness told Lt. Mark Rutherford that he and his wife were driving behind the truck when they saw the motorcyclist pass several vehicles and merge in front of the white pickup.

The man said the driver of the truck then “started speeding up, getting on the motorcycle’s rear,” before striking the back of it.

The man recalled telling his wife, “Oh my God, he just killed that guy,” as the truck slowed briefly and then took off.

His wife reportedly told police it was “a hundred percent road rage. I mean, he hit the guy on purpose.”

Suspect returns to scene

Roughly an hour after the collision, police said England returned to the crash site, identifying himself as the driver of the truck that hit the motorcycle.

He told officers he went home, switched vehicles, and then came back to the scene.

Investigators later located England’s 2017 white GMC Sierra Denali at his residence. The truck was missing its driver-side fender flare, and the license plate had been removed. A search warrant was obtained and the vehicle was seized for evidence.

During a recorded interview with detectives, England allegedly admitted that he found the motorcyclist’s driving “arrogant” and “irritating” but denied intentionally striking him.

England told investigators that he may have “given it a little more throttle” when the motorcycle came alongside him, saying it could have been unintentional.

When asked if he had sped up because he didn’t want the motorcycle to pass him, England responded that he did not recall thinking that.

When Chew asked whether England became angry when the motorcyclist merged in front of him. England admitted he was “irritated” and acknowledged speeding up as the motorcycle moved in front of his truck.

He said he panicked after the impact, drove home and removed his truck’s tag — later telling Chew it was “for both reasons,” to clean the truck and to avoid detection by law enforcement.

Officers later measured the distance from the point of impact to where the motorcycle came to rest, nearly 600 feet, according to the affidavit.

Cornelius succumbed to his injuries five days later. The state medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

A GoFundMe account has been created for Cornelius’s wife and three children for anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to the family.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said the manslaughter charge is punishable by imprisonment for not less than four years, while leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.