SHELBY, N.C.,None — A 25-year-old man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday in the 2009 vehicular death of a teenager, Channel 9's newspaper partner, the Gaston Gazette, reports.
Brian Swindle, who prosecutors said had three prior DWIs, was sentenced to roughly 12 to 16 years in prison.
Swindle was initially charged with DWI and felony injury with a motor vehicle after the October 2009 crash in which police said he crossed the center line of Farmville Road, went off the road and struck a tree. Passenger Megan Sanders, 18, was trapped inside the 1981 Ford Ranger, police said.
After the wreck, Swindle, who was driving without a license, walked to a gas station and called his sister, said Cleveland County Assistant District Attorney Paul J. Ditz. Nearly 30 minutes went by before a 911 call was made, Ditz said.
Sanders died at Carolinas Medical Center after eight days in a coma. After her death, Swindle was charged with second-degree murder and aggravated felony death by vehicle.
Swindle's attorney, John Church, told the court he "loved this young lady" and has been distraught since the wreck. Swindle declined to address Sanders' family in court.
"This has been a very tragic experience for them," Ditz said. "Although this sentence is less than what the defendant deserves, it will hopefully help the family start to heal from their loss."
Ditz said Swindle told troopers he had consumed six alcoholic energy drinks plus a beer the night of the wreck.
Swindle has three prior DWI convictions in Tennessee, one of them dating back to 2003, when he was 17.
WSOC
