A man from Larksville who was part of a crash that led to the death of two men was given a sentence in Luzerne County Court on Tuesday for driving under the influence of drugs.
Kyle Aaron Hendricks, 34, from East Fourth Street, received a six-month term in the Intermediate Punishment Program, with the initial 10 days being on house arrest with electronic monitoring. Hendricks admitted guilt on December 15 to a charge of driving under the influence of a controlled substance, and this is the offense for which he was sentenced.
Hendricks, who was working as a delivery driver for Domino’s, was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee on Wyoming Avenue in Kingston when he collided with a Subaru Legacy as it was leaving Josie’s Italian Ice on April 10, 2022, as indicated in court records.
Austin Lee Heck, 25, from Plymouth, the driver of the Subaru, and his passenger, James John Wheeler, 27, from Nanticoke, died at the location of the collision.
According to forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Siebert, autopsies showed that Heck and Wheeler died from multiple traumatic injuries, and their deaths were classified as accidental.
Hendricks sustained injuries in the collision and was treated at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township. Court records indicate that a blood test revealed the presence of marijuana in his bloodstream.
A crash reconstruction by the Pennsylvania State Police revealed that Hendricks was driving at an estimated speed of 56 mph at the time of the collision. The speed limit in the area where the crash occurred is 35 mph.
An attempt to contact District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce regarding the reason why vehicular homicide charges were not brought was unsuccessful as of Thursday.
Hendricks was represented by Attorney Adam William Bompadre from the Public Defender’s Office.
