Deer River Man Sentenced for Double-Fatal Crash

A Deer River man will spend more than four years behind bars for causing an accident that killed two people. 

In February, 29-year-old Derrick Cloud pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Vehicular Homicide.

The charge stems from an incident in the early morning hours of September 8. 

Authorities say that Cloud was drunk when he crashed his car into another vehicle on Highway 46. 

27-year-old Cory Jones and 21-year-old Jaclyn Howard were pronounced dead at the scene. 

A preliminary breath test found Cloud’s blood alcohol content was .153, nearly two times the legal limit. 

According to the criminal complaint, Cloud allegedly told police that he had “drank too much.”  He said that he had been up all night and had fallen asleep at the time of the crash. 

Cloud told police he was drinking alcohol at his home and the Deer River Casino during the late evening and early morning hours with the crash victims prior to the collision. 

Cloud told police he was drinking alcohol at his home and the Deer River Casino during the late evening and early morning hours with the crash victims prior to the collision. 

Police say the two vehicles had been traveling southbound on Highway 46 when the Camaro pulled off to the shoulder of the highway and attempted to make a U-Turn.  The trailblazer, driven by Cloud,  struck the driver’s side of the Camaro and both cars went into the ditch. 

After a search of Cloud’s car, authorities found an open bottle of beer, a suspected marijuana cigarette, a magazine with ammunition and cocaine residue on a Leatherman-type tool.

Cloud has a criminal history, including Domestic Assault and assault charges. 

Court documents show that Cloud has violated his probation multiple times. 

Cloud was sentenced to 50 months in prison and ordered to provide a DNA sample.