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TRUCKSVILLE — William Bates Akin, charged with vehicular homicide stemming from a crash that killed a man in the Back Mountain in September, is headed to higher court.
Akin, 30, appeared before Magisterial District Judge James Tupper for a preliminary hearing Monday morning. Tupper forwarded all Akin’s charges to county court.
Police formally charged Akin in May in the crash that killed 27-year-old Jared Scott Curran, of Wilkes-Barre. Akin faces charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, DUI and careless driving.
According to the criminal complaint, crews were dispatched to investigate a one-vehicle crash in the area of 1918 Chase Road at 1:18 a.m. Sept. 19.
The sole testifying witness at the hearing was Jason Kwiatkowski, a patrolman for the Jackson Township Police Department.
Police said Akin was driving a 1994 Ford Bronco with Curran riding as passenger, and Akin drove straight off the roadway, his vehicle traveling through approximately 80 feet of scrub oak before striking a tree.
Kwiatkowski testified when he arrived, he saw Akin out of the vehicle leaning onto the driver’s side door and supporting the head of Curran, who was still inside the vehicle.
Kwiatkowski said Curran had “obvious serious head trama” and noticed “an extreme amount of blood” from his wound.
“There was no signs of breathing or any movement by the passenger,” he said.
Officers called for medical personnel and Curran was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:25 a.m. by Luzerne County Deputy Coroner Michael Putnam.
Kwiatkowski testified that, aside from minor scrapes and scratches, Akin did not sustain any injuries.
Akin allegedly told officials at the scene he and Curran had been drinking alcohol at the Coursel bar in Nanticoke. Police said Akin initially admitted to drinking only two beers, but later said it was four beers and couldn’t recall if he had any shots of liquor.
He also reportedly told police he was driving about 40 miles per hour at the time of the crash and misjudged the curve in the road. Police said as Akin spoke at the scene, a strong odor of alcohol could be detected on his breath. He also failed field sobriety tests at the scene.
Kwiatkowski also noted no skid marks were found at the scene, which indicated the vehicle’s brakes were not applied prior to the crash.
Police said Akin was wearing a seatbelt, but Curran was not.
During the course of their investigation, police said they found a beer in the center console of the vehicle, as well as 11 empty beer containers and a pill bottle containing several capsules of Dextroamphetamine.
Akin was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for a blood alcohol test and a toxicology report indicated he had a blood/alcohol content (BAC) of 0.221 percent at the time of the crash.
Court documents did not indicate when Akin’s formal arraignment would take place. He remains free on bail.