Topeka man sentenced in Christmas Day accident that killed friend

TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Topeka man will be sentenced Thursday after a fatal car crash in the capital city on Christmas Day last year that left one man dead.

Katie Garceran, spokeswoman for the Shawnee County District Attorney's Office, told 27 News in a written statement that Judge Cox was sentenced to 46 months in prison and 24 months of post-release probation on Thursday, June 13, for his involvement in a fatal car crash in 2023. The crash resulted in the death of 23-year-old Brett Joynt.

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) responded to the crash at 2:15 a.m. on December 25, 2023 in the 100 block of SE 37th Street. The driver of a vehicle was traveling westbound on SE 37th Street when the vehicle left the roadway, struck a utility pole, and came to a stop in a nearby yard.

According to reports, one person died in the accident, while two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The accident victim was later identified as Cox's boyfriend, Joynt.

Cox was arrested on May 2, 2023, on numerous charges in connection with the crash, including first-degree murder and reckless driving. He was arraigned by the Shawnee County District Attorney's Office on May 10, 2023.

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