WILKES-BARRE — A Trucksville man pleaded guilty Friday to vehicular homicide charges stemming from a fatal drunken driving crash last year in Kingston Township that killed his girlfriend.
Christopher M. Tirpak, 38, was behind the wheel after leaving a fundraising event at a bar when his vehicle slammed into a tree near Mount Olivet Road just after 10 p.m. Aug. 6, 2016, prosecutors said.
Tirpak suffered minor injuries. But his girlfriend and mother of his two young children, Janeen M. Seitz, 39, later died. Her death was ruled a homicide. She was not wearing a seat belt, authorities said.
Prosecutor Justin Richards said while Seitz’s relatives continue to mourn, they support Tirpak and are “not trying to crucify him for what occurred.” The family was not present at Friday’s hearing, but were aware of the plea and “on board” with it, Richards said.
Tirpak struck a deal that called for him to plead guilty to homicide by motor vehicle and two counts of driving under the influence. Two summary traffic offenses were withdrawn.
Testing after the crash revealed Tirpak had a blood-alcohol level of 0.158 percent, Richards said. That’s almost double the .08 driving limit.
The prosecutor also noted Tirpak was going about 65 mph in a 35 mph zone. Tirpak later told investigators he didn’t remember much of the drive or how fast he was going, according to Richards.
Tirpak’s attorney, John J. Waldron of Allentown, called the case a “tragedy.”
“They have a couple of kids,” he said. “It’s just upsetting what happened. It’s sad.”
Tirpak faces up to seven years in prison, though prosecutors said they will seek a county prison sentence of no more than two years.
Waldron believed prosecutors took into account that Tirpak, who has custody of the children, is “a family man” who has to be around to provide for them.
“They were compassionate in how they charged this and what sentencing they’re looking for,” Waldron said of prosecutors.
Luzerne County Judge William H. Amesbury accepted Tirpak’s plea and allowed him to remain free on bail pending sentencing Nov. 27.
