Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
A deal with prosecutors led to a Bensalem man pleading no contest to striking a man with his pickup truck and leaving the scene last year.
John Bik, 54, pleaded no contest to charges of homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, and involuntary manslaughter on Monday before Bucks County President Judge Wallace Bateman.
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As part of the deal, prosecutors did not move forward with charges of accidents involving death, failure to stop and render aid, and several other traffic offenses.
The 54-year-old man will be sentenced in January.
At the district court level earlier this year, a third-degree murder charge was dropped against Bik.
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According to court papers, Bik was traveling in the westbound lanes of East Lincoln Highway outside Lincoln Plaza when he struck pedestrian James Ogborn, 71, at night on Friday, November 30, 2018.
U.S. Army-veteran Ogborn, a resident of Falls Township, was taken to the hospital and died days later.
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A witness tracked the vehicle as it drove on the Oxford Valley Mall property.
Bik had an attorney call police about two hours after the crash. He later showed up at the police station and said “I’m sorry.”
Police said they tracked Bik’s vehicle using its computer system and traced him from a Bristol Township Fine Wine and Good Spirits store to a Lower Makefield eatery. After the being at eatery, the vehicle was in the area of the crash and traveling at more than 70 mph. The system showed the truck quickly came to a hard stop and then drove off.
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Attorney Lou Busico said the deal with prosecutors was fair for his client.
“John feels terrible to be associated with the death of another individual. His thoughts and prayers go out to that family every day,” Busico said.
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Bik remained free awaiting sentencing on unsecured bail.
