CLAY COUNTY — A 63-year-old Sikeston, Mo. truck driver pleaded guilty Thursday in Clay County court to aggravated driving under the influence of drugs that resulted in the deaths of two men in July 2017.

Walter B. Pollock was accused of causing July 27, 2017, on U.S Route 50 at the Stanford Street intersection close to the Clay County Hospital that claimed the lives of 29-year-old Eric Bosel of Noble and 27-year-old Jacob Russell Stewart of Olney.

Pollock was facing three Class 2 felony counts of aggravated driving under the influence of drugs causing a death; two counts Class 3 felony reckless homicide, one count Class 3 felony being in possession of methamphetamine, and two Class 4 felony counts of violating Illinois motor carrier law.

On Thursday he pleaded guilty to one of the Class 2 counts in exchange for the other charges being dismissed and sentencing being restricted to between 6 and 15 years in prison.

According to crash reports, Pollock was driving a 2014 Frieghtliner semi-truck pulling a trailer when he swerved into the westbound lane, struck Bosel’s minivan, then swerved and struck the Nissan. The force caused all three vehicles to exit the roadway to the north.

At that point the minivan and the Nissan both became engulfed in flames, killing both drivers.