Man pleads guilty in Delray fatal DUI crash
MMA athlete killed; deal would sentence driver to 10 years.
WEST PALM BEACH — Dennis Michael Wright pleaded guilty Thursday morning to several charges in connection to the fatal DUI crash that killed mixed martial arts fighter Jordan Parsons in Delray Beach in 2016.
Before Palm Beach County Judge Laura Johnson, Wright, 30, pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash involving death and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
As part of the deal, Wright will get 10 years in prison if he “tells the truth about his alcohol consumption and actions on April 30/31, including the speed he was driving when he struck and killed (Parsons) and his actions from the time he struck (Parsons) until the time he turned himself in,” according to court records. Wright is set to be sentenced Aug. 29.
On May 1, 2016, Delray Beach police say Parsons was crossing the street at South Federal Highway and Lindell Boulevard just after midnight when he was hit by Wright. Police believe Wright was driving at speeds between 100 mph and 120 mph in a 2013 Range Rover.
Parsons was taken to Delray Beach Medical Center, where he had multiple surgeries, but died on May 4. Wright left the scene and attempted to get his car repaired. A body shop turned him away, so police say Wright hid the car in storage. An anonymous tipster eventually went to authorities with Wright’s name, and he was arrested nearly a week after the crash.
Parsons trained with the Blackzillians MMA team at Jaco Hybrid Training Center in Boca Raton and was 11-3 in Bellator, a mixed martial arts organization similar to the more popular Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Friends and fellow fighters described Parsons as “one of the hardest-working guys,” an “exceptional athlete” a “rising star.” His mother, Anna Marlen, previously wrote in a statement to The Post that Parsons was positive and dedicated to making his dreams become realities.
“He had more strength and focus than anyone I’ve ever known. He had the biggest heart, always giving of himself and his time. He tried to positively impact and leave his mark on everyone he met,” she wrote.
In addition to a prison sentence, Wright’s plea deal states he will have to carry around a photo of Parsons at all times and speak at local schools about the dangers of drinking and driving once he is out on probation, according to court records.