Warrens man convicted of homicide charges from 2017 accident

A Monroe County jury convicted a Warrens man of multiple homicide charges Wednesday after four days of trial.

Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger announced 48-year-old Yancy K. Dieter was convicted of one count of Reckless Homicide, one count of Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle, one count of Homicide by Use of a Vehicle with a Prohibited Alcohol Concentration, one count of Knowingly Operate While Revoked Causing Death, and one count of Failure to Install an Ignition Interlock Device.

The charges were from a 2017 accident near Warrens. The prosecution said Dieter was speeding above 120 miles-per-hour before crashing his vehicle and killing his passenger. The State Laboratory of Hygiene estimates his blood-alcohol level was between .21 and .296 when he was driving. It was .192 in a blood draw several hours after the accident.

Croninger said the jury deliberated for just over three hours before reaching the verdict.

“The jury’s verdicts send a strong message that the citizens of Monroe County will not tolerate anyone endangering the lives of others by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle,” Croninger said in a news release following the verdict. “Mr. Dieter engaged in extremely dangerous and reckless behavior in 2017 which caused the death of the victim. I am grateful the jury took the time, considered the evidence in full, and delivered a verdict that provides justice to the victim and his family.”

Following the verdicts, Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Richard Radcliffe revoked Dieter’s bond and remanded him into custody pending sentencing. Sentencing is currently scheduled for April 21.