Wichita man pleads guilty to manslaughter in drunken-driving crash
A Wichita man has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the drunken-driving traffic crash that killed his 54-year-old passenger earlier this year.
Melvin Day, 56, entered the plea Thursday before Sedgwick County District Court Judge Christopher Magana in connection with the March 5 death of Kevin E. Donn Sr.
Day is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 12, Sedgwick County District Attorney spokesman Dan Dillon said in an e-mailed statement.
Day was originally charged with second-degree murder. Involuntary manslaughter was offered as an alternate count. Day on Thursday also admitted to driving on a suspended license, a misdemeanor, Dillon said.
Donn died after the car he was riding in slammed into a tree in the 2200 block of North Jackson, near 21st and Waco. Witnesses told police a yellow Pontiac Sunfire was traveling at a high rate of speed on Jackson when the driver swerved to avoid crashing into a mail truck and lost control. The car hit the tree on its passenger side.
Day’s blood alcohol content level was nearly 3.5 times higher than the legal limit of 0.08 at the time of the crash, Dillon said in the e-mail.
Records show Day had at least two DUI convictions at the time.
Reach Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @amyreneeleiker.
This story was originally published October 30, 2014 at 6:36 PM with the headline "Wichita man pleads guilty to manslaughter in drunken-driving crash."