A Springfield man who stole a Budget Rental truck two years ago and caused a series of crashes in Springfield that killed one person and left several others hurt has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Court records say Shannon Shaffer, Jr., 30, from Springfield caused a crash at Campbell and Republic in July 2019 that killed Matt T. Brown from Springfield.
Another driver was also seriously hurt.
Shaffer then hit a street light post at National and Battlefield.
He then crashed into another passenger vehicle at National and Sunshine, leaving three people hurt.
The stolen box truck was later found abandoned near Broadway and Olive.
Surveillance video helped identify Shaffer as the one who stole the truck and caused the crashes.
Shaffer must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he’s eligible for parole.
