Man pleads guilty to fatal-crash charges

7/9/2003

PORT CLINTON — A Hancock County man has pleaded guilty in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court to two charges related to a double-fatal traffic accident last year.

Zachary Young, 24, of Alvada, Ohio, appeared in court Monday and entered his pleas to one count each of aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault. In exchange for his guilty pleas, additional charges will be dropped at sentencing Aug. 29.

Mr. Young was indicted in October on eight felony counts in a July 28 traffic crash that killed two people in Catawba Island Township. He was charged at the time with four counts each of aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault.

According to authorities, Mr. Young had been drinking before the crash. He was westbound on Twin Beach Road about 12:50 a.m. and ran a stop sign at State Rt. 53. His car was hit broadside by a southbound pickup driven by David Molnar, 38, of Port Clinton.

Two passengers in Mr. Young's car, Quinn Hoffman, 33, of Tiffin and Mario Hernandez, 21, of North Baltimore, Ohio, were killed, and two others were hurt. Mr. Molnar shot and killed himself less than 12 hours after the crash. He was found in his home.