Five to 25 years in prison: Driver in crash that killed, injured honeymooners pleas guilty
Sep. 28—PRINCETON — A Virginia man is facing five to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to charges stemming from a head-on crash in May 2020 which killed one man and seriously injured a woman who had just gotten married.
Ricky Lynn Olivo Jr. 40, of Woodstock, Va. was brought before Circuit Court Judge William Sadler for a plea hearing. Olivo had been indicted on felony charges of driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury and driving under the influence of controlled substances causing death. He was also charged with misdemeanors including driving revoked, no insurance and failure to maintain control.
Olivo was arrested after a crash on May 24, 2020 after the Jeep he was driving down Crane Creek Road crashed head-on into an ATV carrying Corey McKinney and his wife, Sabrina McKinney, of Montcalm. Corey McKinney was pronounced dead at the scene and Sabrina McKinney, who had serious injuries, was airlifted to a hospital outside the area. They had gotten married on May 23, 2020.
Assistant Prosecuting Lauren Lynch said after Monday's hearing that Sabrina McKinney has since recovered.
Judge Sadler informed Olivo that DUI causing serious bodily injury carries a sentence of two to 10 years in prison, and DUI under the influence of controlled substances has a sentence of three to 15 years in prison. If the sentences run consecutively, Olivo could spend five to 25 years in prison.
Under the plea agreement, the state will oppose alternative sentencing, but remain silent on whether the sentences run consecutively or concurrently. The misdemeanor charges, which carried fines, were dismissed.
After being reminded of his right to a jury trial, not to incriminate himself and that he would be presumed innocent unless the state proved his guilt to a jury beyond reasonable doubt, Olivo pleaded guilty to both charges.
Lynch told the court that an investigation by the West Virginia State Police Princeton detachment showed that Olivo, who was driving down Crane Creek Road's southbound lane, crossed the center line and hit the ATV head on. Tests later determined that Olivo had used opioids including hydrocodone and fentanyl. Olivo said he had used marijuana earlier that day as well.
Attorney Steven Mancini, who represented Olivo at the plea hearing, said there had been a question about which vehicle had crossed the center line. Sadler asked Olivo if he was pleading guilty because if he was tried and convicted, he could face a more serious sentence. Olivo said yes.
Lynch said after the hearing that Olivo told investigators that he did not remember seeing the ATV.
Mancini moved for a presentencing investigation. Sadler granted the motion and remanded Olivo back to the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver. Sadler accepted the plea and scheduled Olivo's sentencing date for later this year.
Olivo has a criminal record in Tazewell County, Va. and was indicted on an unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Mercer County in February 2020. The Tazewell County charges include several drug conspiracy charges with intent to sell or distribute Schedule III drugs and were filed in 2014, according to court records.
Olivo pleaded no contest and was sentenced to three years in January 2015 on conspiracy charges with sentence suspended and three years supervised probation. Other charges were nolle prossed.
In 2011, Olivo was sentenced to one year on an intent to sell or distribute marijuana charge with 11 months and 20 days suspended and one year supervised probation, according to court records. He also pleaded no contest in that case.
In 2007, Olivo pleaded guilty to a DUI charge in Mercer County and paid a fine, and also pleaded guilty to a fleeing charge in 2007 and paid a fine, according to court records.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
