MIAMI TOWNSHIP — A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges he faced after hitting and killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence in Miami Township back in 2021.
William Tracey, 52, was initially indicted on one count of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of vehicular homicide, and four counts of operating a vehicle under the influence after hitting and killing Kevin Wakefield, 62, Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records showed.
News Center 7 previously reported that Wakefield was working on his van in the driveway of his mobile home in the 11000 block of Crimson Drive December 14, 2021, when he was hit by a pickup truck. Wakefield was thrown into a neighboring yard following the pedestrian strike.
Miami Township police, fire, and EMS responded to the crash and transported Wakefield to Kettering Health Main Campus.
He later succumbed to his injuries and died in the hospital the next day.
The Miami Township crash report indicated that Tracey had been distracted by something inside his vehicle, but did not specify. It was later determined that he was operating his vehicle while intoxicated.
Tracey had methamphetamine, amphetamine, and marijuana in his system during the crash, the report stated.
Tracey pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular manslaughter and one of three counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence, court records showed. The other charges were waived.
He faces up to six months in prison, up to three years of driver’s license suspension, and a court mandated alcohol and drug addiction program as well as a drivers’ intervention program.
Tracey is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24.
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