Latest News 2011 October DUI Causes Death of Couple on Motorcycle

DUI Causes Death of Couple on Motorcycle

As reported by the York Dispatch, a man that took the life of a couple by drunk driving his SUV into their motorcycle, has pleaded guilty to the homicides and will most likely be serving a minimum of six years in prison.

B.A.B., 29, of Chanceford Township, pleaded guilty to two counts of homicide by vehicle DUI and one count of second offense DUI, according to the York County Court.

In B.A.B.'s plea agreement it is anticipated that he will be given six to 15 years in prison at his sentencing on November 30, per the Deputy Prosecutor, Miranda Blazek. 

B.A.B. killed Wrightsville married couple R.L.E., 45 and P.L.E., 41, in a head-on crash at approximately 3:35 p.m. on August 23, 2009.  The two were both pronounced dead at the scene.  

There is no record of B.A.B.'s first DUI offense but this incident is considered as his second.  In the first, B.A.B. attended a diversionary program - the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition - that lets first time offenders avoid convictions and leaves their driving records wiped clean of DUI.

Steven Stambaugh represents the family of the deceased couple.  He stated that B.A.B. obviously had "quickly forgotten" anything he was to have learned from his first DUI and the program he undertook.

B.A.B. allegedly told police "it won't help me" in denying a blood test after the crash.  He did, however, submit to a Breathalyzer test.  

The Breathalyzer test proved positive for alcohol in B.A.B.'s system - at 0.24 percent B.A.B. was three times over the state legal driving limit of 0.08 percent.

While driving southbound in an SUV on Furnace Road, B.A.B. was attempting to make a left turn onto Kohler Road when he came into contact with a Harley Davidson coming northbound. 

Riding together, on the motorcycle, was R.L.E. and P.L.E.

The plea agreement, per Blazek, was approved by the victim's family.  Blazek said, "They have to deal with this forever.   And it's not just family of (R.L.E. and P.L.E.), either - it's (B.A.B.'s) family too. Everybody is hurt in these situations.   I think it's really a shame that people just don't take drinking and driving seriously.   It can happen to anybody. Any time you do it, you're rolling the dice."

B.A.B. was represented by defense attorney Richard Mylin III.  Telephone calls for comment were not yet returned prior to press time.

R.L.E. and P.L.E. were married for 23 years, both are graduates of Red Lion Area High School and have one son. 

R.L.E. was a decorated veteran in the Army and worked as a mechanical engineer.  P.L.E. worked several jobs and enjoyed being a homemaker the most, per her attorney, as she took pride in caring for both her husband and son.   Together, the couple enjoyed volunteering at charitable events.

Stambaugh said, "(They) spent their lives serving nation, family and community, while Mr. (B.A.B.) has spent his life adding nothing to the common good, while taking the best this nation has to offer."

Are you daunted by criminal charges stemming from DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI?  Contact a DUI attorney for help avoiding jail time, fines and loss of driving privileges.

Categories: DUI

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