Man gets 8 years for drunken-driving crash that killed 2

BLUFFTON, Ind. (AP) - A northeastern Indiana man accused of driving drunk and faster than 100 mph moments before an SUV crash that killed two teenage passengers was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison under a plea deal.

A judge suspended two years of the sentence for Andrew Serafini, 20, of Ossian after he pleaded guilty in January to two felony counts of causing death when operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges of reckless homicide, illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage and speeding.

Authorities say Serafini, who was 19 at the time of the Oct. 14 crash in Wells County, had a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent. Norwell High School students Johnny Kidwell, 18, of Ossian and James McCune, 17, of Markle were both pronounced dead from massive blunt force trauma at the scene of the crash.

Data from Serafini's 2006 Chevrolet Equinox showed the vehicle was traveling 104 mph five seconds before it crashed into a tree after apparently hydroplaning on water covering a county road.

Court documents indicate that Serafini and Abbagail Harris started drinking at 10 a.m. the day of the crash at McCune's home. His parents were not there. McCune arrived home from school around 2:30 p.m. and started drinking with them, the documents show. The group then left the home and picked up Kidwell.

The crash happened about 5 p.m. near the town of Markle, about 25 miles southwest of Fort Wayne. Harris, who was 19 at the time, survived the injuries she suffered in the crash. Everyone in the SUV was wearing seat belts.