19-year sentence for driver in fatal U.S. 35 crash

The man responsible for a deadly crash on U.S. 35 in March has been sentenced to 19 years in prison.

Steven Mayberry Jr., 23, previously pleaded no contest to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault, but decided last month that he wanted to change that plea.

He appeared before Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Michael Tucker Tuesday who ruled that Mayberry could not withdraw his plea and issued his sentence.

The crash in March happened at the intersection of U.S. 35 and Liscum Drive.

Mayberry was driving at a high rate of speed on a suspended license when he ran a red light, striking a vehicle driven by Samuel R. Lerch, 24, of Spokane, Wash.

Lerch died as a result of his injuries and his passenger, 25-year-old William E. Partridge, of Concord, N.C., was seriously injured.

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