A 20-year-old man admitted Thursday that he drunkenly crashed his car into a telephone pole and two trees, killing three of his friends and injuring a fourth, then fled from the scene. Kevin Coffay pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Circuit Court to three counts of vehicular manslaughter and one count of fleeing the scene of a fatal crash.
One Magruder High School senior and two recent graduates were killed in the May 15 crash. Another passenger and Coffay, also both Magruder graduates, survived.
Coffay’s blood-alcohol level, taken when he was apprehended after a three-hour chase, was 0.16, twice the legal limit, prosecutor Bryan Roslund said.
Roslund recounted the events leading up to the crash, saying the five had attended and drank at two parties that night.
At the second party, he said, Coffay was “wobbling back and forth” and at least one person told him not to drive.
But he did, then fled after the crash on the 4700 block of Olney-Laytonsville Road. Coffay ran “without checking on the welfare of any of his passengers,” prompting an hours-long hunt in which he hid and dashed away from police officers who spotted him several times, Roslund said.
“His actions on this night were grossly negligent,” Roslund said.
The three slain young adults — 18-year-old Spencer Datt, 18-year-old Haeley McGuire and 20-year-old John Hoover — each suffered dozens of traumatic injuries that contributed to their deaths Roslund said, citing their autopsy reports.
Nearly all of Datt’s internal organs were punctured or bruised and his spine was broken. Hoover suffered a fracture at the base of his skull and his heart, liver and a lung had lacerations. McGuire’s skull was exposed from deep cuts to her head.
Coffay only spoke in court to answer Judge Theresa Adams’ questions, softly saying, “Yes, your honor” to affirm that he understood the rights he was giving up by entering the plea.
Sheriff’s deputies escorted Coffay and Michael McAuliffe, his attorney, out of the courthouse after the 45-minute hearing. They did not speak to reporters.
Coffay could face up to 40 years in prison. He is released on bond pending his sentencing, which is scheduled for Jan. 5.
