Man pleads guilty to murder in Lawrence drunken-driving wreck that killed 1
A 56-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday in a drunken-driving wreck that left another man dead in Lawrence last year, according to Douglas County prosecutors.
Anthony M. Royal pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and driving under the influence in the April 8, 2022, crash at Kansas Highway 10 and Bob Billings Parkway. Prosecutors say the person killed was a 70-year-old man.
At the time of the wreck, Royal had two earlier offenses on his record for drunken driving, according to prosecutors.
In a statement Tuesday, District Attorney Suzanne Valdez said the traffic death was “entirely avoidable.”
“My heart goes out to the loved ones and friends of the victim,” she said.
The case was investigated by the Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Bureau of Investigation along with local authorities in Douglas County, including Lawrence police.
Royal is scheduled to face sentencing in Douglas County District Court on Nov. 1.
