A Bristol Township man was in court Wednesday on charges he was intoxicated when he crashed his car in Falls Township. The crash killed his 57-year-old friend Steven Carrol of Morrisville.
Dean Wyckoff, 57, had a preliminary hearing on charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence, homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence and related misdemeanor and other offenses Wednesday morning. Following the hearing, all charges were forwarded to Doylestown for trial by District Judge Philip Daly, who is filing in for District Judge Jan Vislosky while she is out on medical leave.
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Wyckoff, according to police, was behind the wheel of his gold Hyundai Elantra on March 14, 2013 when he struck the concrete median barrier on Route 13 south just before the Martins Creek bridge, went across the lanes of travel, skidded along the guardrail and catapulted off the highway, landing in the wooded area along the creek. The Hyundai was partly in the creek.
Firefighters and police responded to the scene and found the car’s passenger Carroll, 57, of Morrisville, suffering life-threatening injuries. Medics transported Carroll to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
Wyckoff told investigators he drank at least three 24 ounce containers of beer in the hours leading up to the crash, according to court papers. He also said he took two prescription pain pills before the deadly accident, police said.
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Witnesses saw the crash and told police, they felt “uneasy” when they saw the way the car was traveling on Route 13, according to court papers. At least two of those witnesses testified in court that they saw Wycloff driving in an unsafe manner.
Wyckoff reportedly told police he and Carroll were headed to a Bristol Township bar to buy an electronic cigarette.
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Police said Wyckoff displayed signs of being intoxicated when they observed him after the crash.
Blood samples from Wyckoff revealed his blood alcohol level was .153 percent and there was marijuana metabolites in his system, according to court papers.
Deputy District Attorney Christopher Rees said witnesses testified along with an officer who responded to the crash.
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Wyckoff currently remains in prison unable to post bail.
