Man Charged In Connection With Deadly ATV Crash
A man is facing charges after a night of drinking ended in a deadly crash.
Steven Ray Ryder, 33, appeared in court Tuesday afternoon, accused of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of children.
Briggs Buck, 16, died during an ATV accident following a night of drinking last year.
Ryder listened in a preliminary hearing as state police outlined what happened the night that Buck died.
The evening allegedly began with the teen asking Ryder via text to "buy a 30 pack," and a response from Ryder showing a picture of three cases of Michelob beer.
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State police, based on witness testimony and text messages, laid out a night of multiple stop, multiple beers and cocaine shared between Ryder, Buck and a third person, Elijah Myers.
The group spent the evening riding around in a truck and an ATV. Police say Myers was driving the ATV on Spruce Road in Butler County when it spun out of control. Buck was killed when he hit a utility pole in the crash.
Police say Ryder, who was driving behind in a truck, announced "I was never here," and left the scene of the crash.
Briggs Buck was left on the side of the road, where his body was later found.
The prosecution argued the alcohol purchased by Ryder caused the accident that led to the teen's death.
