MARION COUNTY — A 22-year-old Iuka man was sentenced Friday in Marion County Court to nearly 50 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the first-degree murder of Nita Mobley, in a fiery crash DUI crash in Salem earlier this year.

Justin M. Bullard was convicted following a two-day bench trial in September of first-degree murder, aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, and aggravated street racing.

Bullard was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison on the murder conviction, and a consecutive five years for the aggravated DUI and another consecutive five years for the aggravated street racing.

Marion County State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth commented after the bench trial that Bullard was drunk, driving nearly 100 miles per hour, passing vehicles on the shoulder of Highway 50 between Sandoval and Salem, and remained 100% on the gas and off the brake until 1 second prior to the crash. Hudspeth said the crash was no accident and that Bullard’s actions throughout the day on May 4 were deliberate and intentional.