Manheim Township Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Fatal DUI Crash

Photo byCrimeWatch.us

By Ciara Perez, News Reporter | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC)

Published April 27th, 2024

LANCASTER, PA – A Manheim Township man, William Vaughan-Geib, was sentenced Wednesday to 8 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including homicide by vehicle while under the influence of marijuana. The sentencing stems from a December 2022 crash in East Lampeter Township that killed 63-year-old Carole Stockdale and seriously injured another individual.

The crash occurred around 12:40 p.m. on December 29, 2022, along the 2100 block of New Holland Pike. According to court documents, Vaughan-Geib's vehicle, a 2017 Ford Escape, crossed over the double solid yellow lines and collided nearly head-on with a 2016 Mazda CX5. Stockdale, a passenger in the Mazda, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office. The driver of the Mazda was extracted from the wreckage and transported to the hospital with serious injuries.

Investigations following the accident revealed that Vaughan-Geib was traveling at 65 miles per hour in a 40-mile-per-hour zone. Authorities found drug paraphernalia and marijuana in Vaughan-Geib’s vehicle, and a blood test showed the presence of THC.

Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Conrad accepted Vaughan-Geib’s guilty plea, which covered charges of homicide by vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault while DUI, aggravated assault by vehicle, two counts of DUI, and two summary driving offenses. The plea was part of a negotiation that included a previous DUI charge from two months before the fatal crash.

First Assistant District Attorney Travis Anderson, who prosecuted the case, expressed hope that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others considering driving under the influence of drugs. "I hope that the defendant’s sentence serves as a deterrent to others who would get behind the wheel after using drugs," Anderson stated.

During the hearing, both Stockdale’s husband and the surviving victim offered forgiveness to Vaughan-Geib, a moment Judge Conrad noted as uncommon given the gravity of the charges. "Seeing forgiveness like that, on these charges, doesn’t happen every day," said Judge Conrad.

In addition to his prison sentence, Vaughan-Geib has been ordered to pay $33,589.21 in restitution. The case was handled by East Lampeter Township Police Officer Ryan Heistand.

For more details, contact Sean McBryan at semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us or follow updates on Twitter at @SeanMcBryanLanc.

Photo byISkyCreations