Indiana man pleads guilty in 2015 crash that killed 3 teens

NEWPORT, Ind. (AP) - A 20-year-old Indiana man has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with a one-vehicle crash in 2015 that killed his three teenage passengers.

Ethan N. Lee of Cayuga entered the plea Monday in Vermilion Circuit Court to three counts of reckless homicide, avoiding a jury trial that had been scheduled for the same day. Lee also faced criminal recklessness, false informing and other charges, but those were dismissed under a plea agreement.

Authorities allege that Lee was driving recklessly on Jan. 2, 2015, when his pickup truck crashed into an office building in Cayuga. Authorities say 18-year-old Annie Clark and 16-year-old Caroline Clark, sisters from Muncie, and 18-year-old Braeden Hollowell of Cayuga were killed in the crash. Lee was indicted about a year later in January 2016. Indiana State Police have said he was driving as fast as 87 mph in a 25 mph zone.

Lee is to be sentenced March 9. Under the plea agreement Lee will serve weekends in jail during the summers of 2017 and 2018. He also will be incarcerated during Christmas and spring breaks of 2017 and 2018. The court also can incarcerate lee for additional time if he is not a student.

Lee also will serve three years of in-home detention, five years of probation, 180 hours of community service and forfeit his driver's license for one year.