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WISCONSIN - A motorist accused of hitting two pedestrians and driving home with one of them lodged in his windshield pleaded no contest to four felonies, including homicide.
Authorities said Steven Warrichaiet hit the pedestrians after he left a friend's house late July 8. He continued to drive over a kilometre to his home with the body of Tyrone Ware, 50, in his windshield, officials said. Joann Carroll-Hildahl, 42, was found in the street with serious injuries but survived.
Warrichaiet called police about six hours later to report he had been in an accident and thought he hit someone, authorities said. Ware was pronounced dead after officers arrived.
Officials have said Warrichaiet's blood alcohol level was 0.18 per cent about six hours after the crash, or more than twice the legal limit for driving. He had been drinking heavily at a friend's home before trying to drive home.
Warrichaiet's attorney, Jeff Cano, did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday evening.
Warrichaiet, 40, faces 47 years in prison plus 30 years of supervised release when he is sentenced in February.
He pleaded no contest to charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, hit and run resulting in death, injury by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, and hit and run causing great bodily harm.
A no contest plea is one in which a defendant does not plea guilty or not guilty. It has the same effect as a guilty plea.
- AP
