Lexington, SC 01/29/2025 (Paul Kirby) – A Lexington County man convicted of killing 6-year-old Emma Longstreet in a DUI crash in the Town of Lexington on New Years Day in 2012, has been denied a pardon by a state pardon board. Billy Hutto, Jr. of Gilbert had been sentenced to 10 years in prison and was released on parole in 2019 according to the state prison system.
Hutto was driving 60 mph in a 35-mph zone on a busy portion of Lexington’s Sunset Boulevard at Old Cherokee Road when he disregarded a traffic signal and struck the Longstreet family’s vehicle in its side while the family was enroute to church. He had a blood alcohol level of .208, over twice the state legal limit, when the collision occurred. The breath test that was given to Hutto was administered approximately 5 hours after the crash happened. Hutto had spent New Years Eve in a Midlands’ bar before trying to drive home after 10:30 a.m. on New Years Day.
Emma’s family, that included her parents and 3 brothers, were in the vehicle with her when it was struck by Hutto who had a previous DUI conviction. Doctors and the medical staff at an area trauma center worked on little Emma for hours before she was pronounced dead. Her father and her brothers were whisked off to an intensive care unit, but her mother was by her side when she passed.
Notable dignitaries who were involved in Longstreet / Hutto’s case were either in attendance or opposed his pardon via a written appeal to the SC Pardon Board during Hutto’s hearing. This included senior M.A.D.D. leaders, Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard, and SC Attorney General Alan Wilson, himself a Lexington resident.
Lexington County Jay Koon, who was the assistant police chief of the Lexington Police Department at the time of the crash, has said publicly that Emma’s death had impacted him greatly and has driven him to support tougher DUI enforcement and laws since the deadly crash happened. Emma’s death sparked outrage in the state and drove the SC State Legislature to pass Emma’s Law that strengthened DUI laws in our state.
If Hutto had been pardoned, the state would look at him as if he was fully forgiven from all legal consequences of his crime and conviction. The board considers several factors when evaluating a pardon to determine whether the individual has demonstrated rehabilitation, poses no risk to society, and merits restoration of certain civil rights. A majority vote of the board must be reached for an individual to receive a pardon.
PHOTO: Emma Longstreet
