Two sentenced for manslaughter
Beating, DUI crash nets prison in separate Baker County cases
Two sentenced for manslaughter
Beating, DUI crash nets prison in separate Baker County cases
By LYNSIE BREAUX
MACCLENNY, FL - The streets of Baker County are a bit safer tonight as yet another killer is off the streets and a resident of the state Department of Corrections.
Gregory Dwayne McGoogin, 45, pled guilty to one count of manslaughter Monday and was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
According to prosecutor Ralph Yazdiya, McGoogin "is a habitual violent offender. I told his attorney that he could either plead to the maximum or we could go to trial and I would seek the enhanced penalties."
Under Florida law a career habitual violent offender can be sentenced to double the maximum sentence under special circumstances.
McGoogin turned himself into Baker County deputies December 11, 2007 and was charged with the death of John Zajkowski, 48, of St. George, Ga.
Zajikowski showed up at Fraser Memorial Hospital "semi-conscious" and was transferred to Shand's Jacksonville due to a broken skull and the severity of his injuries.
Zajikowski died at Shand's.
A search of the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) website shows that McGoogin had been released from the Holmes Correctional Institute August 10, 2007 where he had been serving a sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of cocaine.
The website also shows four periods of incarceration between July 31, 1990 and today on charges ranging from robbery and grand theft to forgery and drug dealing.
During that time, the longest period of time that McGoogin did not spend in state prison was slightly less than two years between 2000 and 2002.
Not to be outdone, prosecutor Mel Bessinger also cleared one of his higher profile cases Monday and also got a long sentence.
Caleb Scott Kaeck, 22, will be spending the next 10 years in a state prison following his June, 2006 arrest for DUI manslaughter.
According to police reports Kaeck was speeding along CR 23A when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck another vehicle head on. A passenger in his car, Phillip Middleton, died in the accident.
Tests showed Kaeck to have a blood alcohol level of .093 at the time of his crash.
According to the DOC website, Kaeck is currently serving a five-year sentence stemming from an arrest in 2003 for DUI causing serious bodily injury.
Judge Rosier ordered his sentence concurrent with his current sentences so while Kaeck received credit for 666 days served he will still be spending an additional five years in prison after completing his current sentence.
And despite putting nearly 150 cases through the docket Monday, the harsh sentences were not through. Johnny Russell Richendollar, 29, received five years in prison to be followed by ten year sex offender probation.
Richendollar was arrested July, 2007 and charged with lewd and lascivious assault on a child less than 16.
Jason Desmond Walker, 27, was the final case to be heard for the day and Judge Rosier found him guilty of violating his probation stemming from his 2001 arrest for lewd and lascivious assault on a child.
Walker's attorney argued that there was some confusion as to whether or not his client could have supervised contact with minor children.
Judge Rosier signed the original order and was quite emphatic that she made it clear to Walker that he was to have no contact with children, even his own.
She withheld sentencing due to the late hour at which court ended.
