Jun 4, 2015 3 min read

A Fayette City man accused of crashing his tractor-trailer into two vehicles during separate wrecks within minutes of each other on Interstate 70 pleaded guilty Thursday to two felony charges and was sentenced to 6 to 23 months on electronic home monitoring.

Kenneth Layman, 50, admitted Thursday before Washington County Judge John DiSalle he struck the vehicles, but said the accidents were the result of a medical emergency. He pleaded guilty to two counts of accidents involving death or personal injury.

The series of events began while Layman was driving east near the Murtland Avenue exit June 16. His rig crashed into the rear of a pickup truck driven by Franklin Kuharic of Washington, forcing it into the median around 5:11 p.m. Kuharic’s truck went through the median, rolling several times before coming to rest in the westbound lanes. Four minutes later, as he tried to flee the scene, Layman’s rig hit the rear of a sport utility vehicle driven by Daniel Flint, 26, of Scenery Hill. Flint’s vehicle was pushed several hundred yards before it was shoved under the rear of an eastbound tractor-trailer. Police said the vehicle was pinned underneath the trailer, injuring Flint. Layman then reportedly fled.

Nicolas Spears, of Columbus, Ohio, who was driving the tractor-trailer that Flint’s SUV was pushed under, told police he saw Layman’s tractor-trailer hit an embankment before plowing into the back of Flint’s vehicle. Spears tried to move his rig, but Layman drove Flint’s vehicle under it.

Spears told police Layman then drove about one-eighth of a mile, stopped on the highway, got out and checked his truck before climbing back inside and continuing east.

Layman’s truck was later found at a trucking company lot in Somerset Township. Police ran the registration and found a photo of Layman. It matched the description of the truck driver given by Spears. Layman was taken into custody when he returned to the lot with his wife.

Layman said he suffers from a seizure disorder and had a seizure during the crashes. He testified in court he doesn’t remember the incidents. His attorney, James Crosby, said Layman’s license has since been revoked for medical reasons.

“He won’t drive,” Crosby said of his client following the court hearing Thursday. “He’s afraid it will happen again.”

Both victims and Spears were present. Flint testified in court he is still suffering from medical complications following the crash.

“I don’t want to see this happen again,” Flint said.

DiSalle also ordered Layman to continue taking his seizure medication and to not have contact with the victims. He also sentenced Layman in three, unrelated summary traffic offenses to a $700 fine.

Prior to the hearing, Layman was free from jail on a $75,000 bond.