Driver charged in fatal chain-reaction accident

4/30/2003

ADRIAN — An Ottawa Lake man accused of causing a crash that killed two people will be arraigned in Lenawee County Circuit Court May 7 on eight charges.

Richard Wade Wahl, 60, appeared in Lenawee County District Court yesterday for a preliminary exam. Judge Natalia Koselka ruled that there was enough evidence to bind him over to circuit court on two counts each of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol causing death, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol causing incapacitating injuries, negligent homicide, and manslaughter with a motor vehicle.

Investigators say Mr. Wahl caused a chain-reaction crash on U.S. 223 Dec. 19 that killed Thomas Rubley, 37, and his wife Maria, 40. Two of the couple's children, Cassandra, 8, and Roy, 11, were injured. The eldest child, Simon Martinez, 13, was not with them.