A Milford man involved in a fatal crash Wednesday is facing additional charges from the accident.
Victor Joseph Waikel, 21, of 204 N. Perry St., Milford, is charged with causing death while operating a vehicle, a level 4 felony; operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a class C misdemeanor; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated enhancement, a level 6 felony.
He was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 6:59 a.m. Wednesday on a $5,250 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Wednesday, emergency personnel arrived to the scene of a crash on Epworth Forest Road, north of Sumac Lane, North Webster. They found a black Audi off the side of the road. The driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was identified as Waikel.
The crash caused the death of one of Waikel’s passengers, Ricard L. Garcia, 36, of North Webster. Garcia was a rear-seat passenger and not wearing a seat belt, according to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office accident report.
During the investigation, officers detected the odor of alcohol coming from Waikel’s mouth, according to court documents. Waikel allegedly had slurred speech, red and watery eyes and failed standardized field sobriety tests.
Waikel provided a sample on a portable breath test device that returned presumptive positive for ethanol with a blood alcohol level of 0.12%.
Waikel agreed to a certified chemical test and was transported to Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital. The results were pending.
Waikel said he was driving Garcia and another passenger, Juan C. Acuahuitl, 22, of North Webster, home. Acuahuitl was the front-seat passenger. At the curve of the road, his car slid off the roadway. Waikel allegedly admitted he had been drinking alcohol prior to the crash.
Waikel was previously convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Kosciusko County on Nov. 14.