STAUNTON - A Crimora teen who accidentally killed a woman while driving high on methamphetamines and marijuana avoided prison time Thursday.

Instead, Nathaniel Morris, 19, will spend six months in jail for the May 26, 2006, crash that killed Virgie Mae Stewart and slightly injured her two daughters.

Augusta County Circuit Judge Thomas H. Wood stuck close to state sentencing guidelines, which suggest anywhere from probation to six months in jail for juveniles. Morris was 17 when the crash happened.

"Somebody died in this case. This is not a garden-variety crash," Wood said. "He needs to go to the adult corrections system. I think the [victim's] family members need to see that happen."

Stewart, 50, died on U.S. 250 just west of Waynesboro when Morris rammed a pickup truck hard enough to launch it into the air and on top of her car.

Nine days earlier, police had ticketed Morris for driving without a license, no inspection sticker and improper use of state tags, according to testimony from previous hearings. A judge fined Morris $100 and suspended his license for 90 days.

"I'm truly sorry for what happened," Morris said in court Thursday. "I just hope that one day the family could possibly forgive me."

  A confessed meth addict, Morris has been a model member of a local juvenile drug-rehabilitation program, Valley Community Services Board counselor Roy Evans testified Thursday.

"He is … a very positive influence on the other group members," Evans testified.

Said assistant Augusta County prosecutor John Reed: "I think it's plausible that Mr. Morris has managed to escape from his addiction … however, there are consequences to drug use … it resulted in a grieving family."

Wood could have sentenced Morris to as much as 10 years in prison on the involuntary manslaughter charge.

He instead chose 10 months in jail, with credit for the four months already served in a juvenile detention facility.

Morris must report at 4 p.m. today to the Middle River Regional Jail.