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WILKES-BARRE — A man who was accused of racing on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston when he plowed into another vehicle, severely injuring a 12-year-old boy, pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault and related charges.
Paul Joseph Butkiewicz, 21, of Plymouth, was behind the wheel of a 2004 Dodge Neon near Division Street in September 2015 when he sought to race a silver sedan that had pulled alongside his vehicle and revved its engine, police said.
Butkiewicz, who had two passengers, took off and sped down nearly four blocks before slamming into the passenger side of a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche driven by Misty Simon, according to police, who noted Butkiewicz appeared to be traveling in excess of 70 miles per hour.
The wreck left Simon’s son, Josh, in critical condition. The boy suffered severe leg injuries that required multiple operations and kept him hospitalized indefinitely, his father, Benjamin Simon, told the Times Leader days after the crash.
Reached Monday, Benjamin Simon said Josh, now 13, is still struggling to heal.
Josh has a skin graft on his right leg scheduled for later this month and will be bedridden for about three weeks following the procedure, his father said, before going under the knife again for another procedure on his knee. Meanwhile, the boy has the mental acuity of a third-grader.
“The brain injury is the hardest part about the whole thing,” Benjamin Simon said, noting the injuries require that daily care is provided to him.
Benjamin Simon said he was unsure whether his family would attend Butkiewicz’s sentencing due to the anguish of the ordeal, but said he was glad “the justice system is taking care of everything and everything is motion now.”
“And maybe we’ll find some justice for our son,” he added.
Misty Simon and some of her son’s friends suffered minor injuries. One of Butkiewicz’s passengers, Niki Norton, sustained severe internal injuries as a result of the crash and required several surgeries, police said.
Butkiewicz entered guilty pleas in Luzerne County Court to two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle, three counts of reckless endangerment and two summary traffic violations. Judge David W. Lupas accepted Butkiewicz’s pleas and scheduled sentencing for April 3.
Butkiewicz was allowed to remain free on bail pending the hearing.