Spring Bay man convicted in fatal UTV crash when he had .209 BAC

EUREKA — A Spring Bay man was found guilty of being intoxicated when he crashed his UTV into a Woodford County Sheriff's Office squad car, killing one of his passengers.

Kenneth Brinkley, 26, faces up to 14 years in prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 1. A Woodford County jury deliberated for about an hour on Sept. 22 before finding him guilty of aggravated DUI, fleeing and eluding, and criminal damage to property in connection with a crash in March that killed Ryan Pitts.

Brinkley drove the utility terrain vehicle on public roadways and off-road in fields while attempting to escape pursuit from sheriff's deputies. During the chase, he collided with a squad car and eventually crashed into a tree, killing Pitts.

Brinkley submitted to medical testing to deal with his own injury, and a medical blood draw resulted in the discovery that the defendant’s blood alcohol content was 0.209, well above the legal limit of 0.08.

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He now faces up to 14 years in prison and must serve at least 85% of any sentence imposed. There is a chance he could get probation, but he must show “extraordinary circumstances” as to why a judge should not send him to prison.

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Woodford County man convicted in fatal UTV crash when he had .209 BAC