By Neale Gulley<br><a href="mailto:gulleyn@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Neale</a>
A 21-year-old Lockport man whose girlfriend was killed in July when he drove their car off Ruie Road in North Tonawanda pleaded guilty Friday in Niagara County Court.
Ryan Lacey agreed to charges of DWI and criminally negligent homicide in the drunken-driving death of 19-year-old Kristina Moley of Wilson.
The charge of negligent homicide was reduced in the deal from an original charge of vehicular manslaughter, though both are felonies. Lacey faces a maximum sentence of eight years behind bars if each sentence were taken consecutively.
The case was argued before Judge Sara Sperrazza.
Also, Lacey pleaded guilty to violating a previous probation conviction, though at the time he was granted youthful offender status, meaning no information was available regarding the previous conviction.
Throughout the court case, Moley’s parents have supported Lacey, who they say was a respectful young man.
Both families were in court Friday to support him, reportedly echoing similar sentiments to those expressed during an appearance in North Tonawanda Court in August.
At the time, Moley’s mother Lynn said her relationship with her daughter was such that she would not have gotten into Lacey’s Toyota Pickup if he had been obviously out of control.
“If we were to put him in jail, what would come of that?” Lynn Moley asked at the time. “He’s going to have to live with this for the rest of his life, and in my mind that’s punishment enough.”
Official sentencing on both the charges stemming from Moley’s death and the probation issue has been scheduled for Dec. 18 in Lockport.
Contact reporter Neale Gulleyat 693-1000, ext. 114.
