The Holland Sentinel: 20 beers nets 20 years for driver who killed teen cyclist
By Staff report
The Holland Sentinel
Posted Nov 04, 2009 @ 07:00 AM
Holland, MI —
A man police say was driving drunk when he struck two bicyclists, killing one, has pleaded no contest to five charges, including second-degree murder.
As part of the plea deal, Kevin Lee Babcock, 44, will serve a minimum 20 year sentence for the charges, which also include driving without a license, causing death, fleeing the scene of a crash, driving while intoxicated and habitual offender. Circuit Court Judge Calvin Bosman will set the maximum sentence.
Police said Babcock had a blood-alcohol level of 0.18 and admitted to drinking about 20 beers before he struck Curtis Jacobs and Christian Van Wyngarden, both 19, on U.S. 31 in Holland Township.
The teens, who were bicycling with a church group, were crossing the highway’s intersection at Quincy Street on June 27 when Babcock ran a red light. He knocked both men from their bicycles. Jacobs died the following day. Van Wyngarden was injured.
Babcock is set for sentencing Nov. 30.
