Wichita man on beer run hit motorcyclist, causing deadly crash. He’s sentenced
A 62-year-old Wichita man has been ordered to serve more than 4 1/2 years in prison in connection with a crash that resulted in the death of a motorcycle rider last fall.
Brian George Adrian pleaded guilty in March to one count of vehicular manslaughter and one count of aggravated battery while driving under the influence in the Oct. 17 death of 27-year-old Bryce W. Rowland of Wichita. Sedgwick County District Judge Sean Hatfield sentenced Adrian on Thursday to 55 months in prison plus a year in jail, which will be served concurrently, Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Lyndsee Stover said.
Adrian must also pay $8,995 in restitution to cover Rowland’s cremation and funeral costs, court records show.
Adrian had asked the judge to put him on probation, arguing in a written motion that community-based alcohol treatment was a better option than a “purely punitive” prison stay that “would not serve the interests of justice.”
Wichita police have said Rowland was driving a motorcycle on Seneca near 42nd Street South when Adrian turned in front of him and struck him with his car shortly after 7 p.m. The collision threw Rowland off the motorcycle into the outside curb lane of the street, where another driver who didn’t see the wreck accidentally drove over him, an affidavit says.
Adrian admitted to drinking beers before driving and told police he was on his way to the store to buy more when the crashes happened, according to the document. He told police he heard the motorcycle coming but didn’t see it when he made the lefthand turn.
A preliminary breath test showed his blood-alcohol concentration at .177, more than twice the legal limit to drive.
Before the crash, Rowland had spent the day hanging out with a coworker and was headed back to his house from Spangles when he was killed, the affidavit says.
Rowland was “known for his entrepreneurial spirit, his quick wit, and his big heart,” had a “deep love” for cars and boats and was working on earning a private pilot’s license, according to his obituary.
“Bryce’s humor, intelligence, and kindness left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. He had a gift for making people feel loved and valued, and his presence brought warmth and light wherever he went.”
