Friday, February 04, 2005

A Bowling Green man entered a guilty plea Thursday in Warren Circuit Court in connection to the May 5, 2002, car crash death of 66-year-old Willie Duke of Rockfield.

Indicted nearly two years ago on a murder charge, Jason Michael Estlack, 19, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants, first offense within five years, with aggravating circumstances, under age 21.

I operated a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants, Estlack told Circuit Judge John Grise in court, explaining his guilt. I was in a wreck that resulted in the death of a passenger in the vehicle.

Estlack was 17 when he crashed head-on into a vehicle driven by Willie Dukes oldest son, Alan, on Hammett Hill Road, according to a Kentucky State Police report.

Alan Duke was seriously injured in the accident, as were several of Estlacks passengers.

Prosecutors dropped 10 of Estlacks original 12 charges: three counts of first-degree assault, three counts of unlawful imprisonment, two counts of fourth-degree assault, trafficking in marijuana, less than 8 ounces, first offense, use and possession of drug paraphernalia, first offense.

The assault charges stem from the injuries received by those involved in the accident and the unlawful imprisonment charges are a result of three passengers statements that they were in Estlacks vehicle against their will.

The original murder charge, for which Estlack could have faced 20 years to life, was amended to second-degree manslaughter, for which Commonwealths Attorney Chris Cohron recommended seven years.

As always, we sat down with the (Duke) family, we read the pros and cons of proceeding to a jury trial. After full consultation with the family, they were satisfied with the plea agreement, Cohron said. In our experience with these type of cases, seven years would be a very realistic outcome at a jury trial. We did not feel a murder charge was sustainable.

Willie Dukes wife, Joyce, said her husband was a wonderful man who enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

They were everything in this world to him, she said.

After nearly three years of waiting, she said the family will be glad to have some sense of finality in the case on April 7 Estlacks final sentencing date.

It took a year for Estlack to be indicted by a Warren County grand jury, due to a state crime lab backlog that prolonged testing of his blood and urine samples, taken the day of the wreck.

Although April 7 will bring an end to the court proceedings, the Duke family said it was unlikely to bring closure.

It will if hes sent to the penitentiary and doesnt get parole, Joyce Duke said. Thats what were going for. It was pre-meditated. He just shows no remorse. Weve been to hell and back over this.

Estlack will be eligible for parole after serving 20 percent of his sentence. He already has 65 days toward time served.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700