HENRY COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — A Henry County man has been sentenced to 40 years in a state penitentiary for the death of a 15-year-old in 2016.

Jeremy Carruthers, 34, of Abbeville, has been sentenced for the death of 15-year-old Cody Jenkins. Carruthers was sentenced to 35 years for reckless manslaughter and 5 years for prison contraband. He was originally charged with murder and had a prior conviction of discharging a gun into an occupied building.

The incident occurred on July 27, 2016, off County Road 73 in Henry County. Jenkins was getting the trash cans from the road when Carruthers allegedly lost control of his vehicle and hit Jenkins in the front yard of his home, knocking him into a field. Jenkins was pronounced dead at the scene.

All of Jenkin’s family heard the incident from inside the home.

The mother of the Jenkins says her son was very smart and he had taught himself coding. He also took several foreign language classes even while in middle school and was chosen as one of 4000 students to participate in a special conference for gifted children.

Jenkins’s mother said, “I lost my identity as a mother. We don’t celebrate anything anymore.”

The family requested the maximum sentence.

“I am sorry this happened to you. I truly am. It kills me every day. Every hour I think about it.” said Carruthers said after taking the stand.

Carruthers will receive credit for time served.