Man whose crash killed 3 friends violates probation

12/2/2013
BLADE STAFF

A Toledo man who was driving at a high rate of speed the night his car crashed, killing three of his friends, admitted Monday to violating terms of his probation.

Noel Papenfuse, 24, was found guilty of the violation by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Stacy Cook, who ordered that he complete the remainder of his original 18-month jail sentence.

His attorney, Jerry Phillips, said his client had about 13 days left to serve at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio last January when Judge Cook modified his sentence and placed him on probation for five years. As part of that probation, he was ordered to consume no drugs or alcohol, attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week, and volunteer to tell his story to teens.

Mr. Papenfuse was found guilty by a jury of three counts of misdemeanor vehicular homicide in the Oct. 21, 2010, crash on North Detroit Avenue that killed Toledo cousins Bryan Richardson, Jr., 20, and Bradley Richardson, Jr., 21, and their friend, Noah McFadden, 23, of Sylvania.

Judge Cook told Mr. Papenfuse by placing him on probation for five years, she had tried to cast a safety net for him, but he missed the point by choosing to violate his probation.

“You’ve mistaken this safety net for a burden,” she said.

Mr. Phillips said after the hearing Mr. Papenfuse stopped attending AA meetings and providing urine samples because he just wanted to complete his jail sentence.

He had not tested positive for any illegal substances during the 10½ months he was on probation, Mr. Phillips added.