GONZALES - A 30-year-old man was sentenced to more than 20 years in jail following a crash that killed a 6-year-old girl.

According to a release, Kenneth Lewis pled guilty to vehicular homicide and first-degree vehicular negligent injuring. The guilty plea comes after a 2017 crash that claimed the life of Samantha Keating.

On February 25, 2017, state police responded to a crash on I-10 eastbound, east of LA 44 in Ascension Parish. During the course of the investigation, troopers learned that Lewis was traveling eastbound in a Ford Mustang at a high rate of speed when he rear-ended a Toyota Highlander.

The two vehicles crashed into a wooded area along the interstate.

Samantha and her parents, Natalie and Anthony Keating, were transported to an area hospital. The parents suffered minor injuries while Samantha was pronounced dead.

At the time of the crash, Lewis' blood alcohol level was .200 percent. 

On Monday Lewis was sentenced to 22 and a half years with credit for timed served. It was ordered that at least 15 years those years be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.