Truck driver pleading no contest in fatal Austintown crash raises bigger question about impairment testing

Editor’s note: This story is corrected to show that Davit Pluidze pleaded no contest, and Zachary Leffler is from Kentucky. We regret the errors.

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A truck driver from New Jersey has pleaded no contest to causing a crash that killed a young man from Kentucky.

Davit Pluidze pleaded no contest to misdemeanor counts of vehicular homicide in the death of 25-year-old Zachary Leffler, of Burlington, Kentucky.

The crash happened in December 2023 on Interstate 80, just west of Route 46. Troopers say Pluidze was heading eastbound when he crossed the median and hit the pickup truck, which was traveling westbound.

Pluidze, of Manville, New Jersey, was led into the crowded courtroom Monday, surrounded by tight security. He could be seen covering his face with his hand.

Among those who spoke before Austintown Judge Scott Hunter was Leffler’s father Joe Leffler and his mother Shannon Ponder.

“He laid four and half hours away from me. I couldn’t arrive in minutes or even an hour. I couldn’t hold my son or ock him. I couldn’t stroke my son’s hair,” Ponder said. “This senselessness and negligence that took my son from me forever, when I was so careful and qualified to raise him to be the extraordinary man, enranges me.”

A busload of Leffler’s friends and family came from Kentucky to support family members giving victim impact statements. They want the judge to give Pluidze the maximum jail sentence of six to nine months.

Leffler’s father Joe alluded to the fact that Pluize’s blood was never tested because the Ohio law does not require testing if the police don’t believe the driver is impaired.

“Nobody can explain why this truck veered hard left. No one can explain why he didn’t hit the brakes. No one can explain that on the scene — someone makes a judgment not to test him. I will never know if this driver was impaired. I will never know,” he said.

Leffer’s father said he believes the law should be changed.

“I ask that as we go forward, the state of Ohio should change the law. Anybody that kills somebody in a vehicle should be tested,” he said.

Among those listening was Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova. She said not all impairment can be smelled and she would be willing to testify before the Ohio legislature to change the law requiring all drivers in a crash involving a death to be tested.

“Ohio State Patrol was on scene in this case. They did not detect impairment, so the tests were not rendered,” DeGenova said. “It would be a nice tool for prosecutors to have to be able to look at those toxicology reports to see if, in fact, the charges would be increased to something for reckless.”

Pluidze and his lawyers had nothing to say in court and had no comment after.

Pluidze is scheduled to be sentenced on August 19. Leffler’s family and friends say they will back for the hearing.

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