COVINGTON, Ga. – McKenzie Farrow Crowe, a Newton County woman previously charged with the vehicular homicide death of Allison Bell Campbell in 2012, will go back to prison after a probation violation was reported following an arrest in Milledgeville in August.

Crowe arrested in Milledgeville

Crowe, who was 17 at the time of the 2012 incident and is now 22, was arrested in Milledgeville Aug. 27 around 12:18 a.m. on a willful obstruction of law enforcement officers charge after a Milledgeville resident called 911 to report an intoxicated female in his front yard, according to a Milledgeville Police Department incident report.

According to a statement from the initial 911 caller, he “practically stumbled on a girl,” when he was attempting to leave his house. The girl, later identified as Crowe, was reportedly slumped over with her eyes closed and acting like she wanted to throw up to the point that the caller thought she had alcohol poisoning.

After unsuccessfully attempting to find her help, he dialed 911.

MPD Officer Deidre Byrd later spotted Crowe walking down the street and ordered her to stop. Crowe then reportedly “shoved” the officer and ran behind a nearby house.

A few moments later, MPD Lt. Jason Lopez found Crowe laying in the fetal position unconscious near a fence. She was placed in handcuffs and taken for medical help. Once medical professionals determined she was “mildly intoxicated” she was released into police custody and booked into the Baldwin County Jail.

Crowe charged with vehicular homicide in 2012

Following her August arrest, Crowe was arrested and charged with probation violation Sept. 21 by the Newton County Sheriff's Office. 

Crowe’s initial charges stemmed from a Jan. 27, 2012 incident where she later took a plea deal in 2013 on charges of vehicular homicide, failure to maintain lane and driving under the influence.

Crowe was driving on Cook Road when she crossed the center line and hit Campbell’s vehicle head-on. 

According to an earlier story, retired Georgia State Patrol spokesman Gordy Wright said "alcohol was suspected and blood was drawn from Ms. Crowe for analysis." According to the accident report from the GSP, Crowe was trapped and had to be extricated from the vehicle. Her listed condition at the time of the crash was "under the influence of medication/drugs/alcohol."

The report stated that Campbell did not have a valid license and was not wearing a seatbelt. She was partially ejected from her vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

After the guilty plea, Crowe was sentenced by Alcovy Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Eugene Benton to 15 years in jail. She was required to serve three of those years behind bars before being released to serve another year with an ankle monitor. She was also ordered to not possess or consume alcohol and to speak at schools to tell other teens about the dangers of drinking and driving.  

Court hears from probation officer, psychiatrist, preacher

Community Supervision Officer Michael Jewell, who is based out of Milledgeville, was called and spoke on Crowe’s probation while she was enrolled in school at Georgia College and State University. He said she remained in compliance up until the date of her arrest.

During her time on probation, Jewell was tasked with approving Crowe’s employment, which included a position at the Velvet Elvis Grille and Tap in Milledgeville, and her community service, which was being completed at a Georgia State Patrol Post.  

Dr. Franklin Jefferson Duffy Jr., who works at the GCSU counseling center as a psychiatrist, said he began seeing Crowe as a patient in September. He believed she was having trouble focusing after her previous prison sentence and had symptoms consistent with frontal lobe damage.

Duffy also said Crowe was having difficulty fitting in and often talked about feeling isolated.

Rev. Royeese Stowe, a Methodist preacher, said she knew Crowe in her childhood and continued her relationship with her through her prison sentence and college career.

“I believe McKenzie wakes up every morning in pain,” she said. “I believe she lost a part of herself and will have a difficult time getting it back without professional help.”

Father wants to find treatment

Matt Crowe, McKenzie’s father, was called to speak about McKenzie’s living arrangements and status of schooling.

As of her arrest date, Aug. 27 McKenzie Crowe has been incarcerated. She is currently being housed in the Rockdale County Jail.  Matt Crowe said she would return to the family’s Oxford home to reside with his wife and him once released.

He also told the court that McKenzie Crowe would not be returning to GCSU where she was enrolled in nursing school.

Matt Crowe said he was not aware that his daughter was drinking and he chose not to bond her out of the Baldwin County Jail because he wanted to find her rehabilitation and treatment before she got out.

‘There’s no excuse’

Crowe said she had no excuse for why she drank on Aug. 27, but that it was the only way she could find to connect with her peers.

“Life wasn’t what I thought it would be,” she said. “Prison took everything I was and all I knew. Life wasn’t the same and I couldn’t handle it.

“I messed up,” she said. “I’m sorry. I know sorry doesn’t cover it.”

Crowe said she has been praying and working on fixing herself to learn how to be normal and find ways of coping with what she did.

Crowe’s probation revoked following MPD arrest

After a recommendation from Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney Layla Zon to revoke Crowe’s probation for two years and felony first offender status and a request from Crowe’s attorney, David Lamalva, to have her sentenced to a 90-day drug and alcohol treatment center, Benton made his sentencing.

Benton revoked Crowe’s probation and sentenced her to two years in the state penitentiary. He also withdrew the term of her probation requiring her to speak at schools but maintained all other terms of her probation including that she does not consume or possess alcohol.

At the time of the probation violation revocation, Benton did not revoke Crowe’s felony first offender status but warned that it would be considered if any other violations occurred.

Crowe has 11 years and 6 days left on her 15-year sentence, Benton said.

"My position and my responsibility requires me to protect our community by upholding the lawful sentence that the court imposed in 2013," Zon said. "The sentence was clear. The recommendation by the probation department was the standard recommendation made in any case where a probationer commits new offenses and a special condition of probation is violated."

When asked by The Covington News, Matt Crowe would not provide a comment after the sentencing was announced.