A Grand Jury indictment has been handed down against Ronald J. Wendt, of Alexander, charging him with 11 felony counts stemming from an accident on Aug. 14 that claimed the life of an 18-year-old Dansville girl.
Among the charges against Wendt, 24, is aggravated vehicular manslaughter, a new statute in New York that carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
WBTA spoke with District Attorney Lawrence Friedman about the unique charge.
Friedman said elements of the alleged crime, relevant to the more serious charge, is that it includes alleged reckless driving and causing serious injury to another person.
Wendt is represented by Batavia Attorney Thomas Burns, who issued a statement following Wendt's preliminary hearing in August challenging the validity of drunken-driving charges in this case.
In addition to challenging the actual charges, Burns asserted that there is ample evidence that Wendt was not intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Among key facts raised during the preliminary hearing were that Wendt passed one element of the road-side sobriety test.
Wendt was reportedly making a left-hand turn off Route 20 into the parking lot of My Saloon -- an area not far from where the speed limit changes from 55 down to 40 mph -- when his truck was struck by the car. It's unclear if the car left any skid marks.
According to testimony at the hearing, Wendt told Deputy Tim Wescott that he had a few beers, during and after work, on a nearby farm bailing hay. His BAC was reportedly right at .08 after the accident.
