Leavenworth County man pleads guilty in fatal drunken-driving, UTV wreck
A 59-year-old man pleaded guilty on Friday to operating a utility terrain vehicle, or UTV, while drunk and crashing into a Leavenworth County ditch, where his wife was fatally injured in July.
Gregory A. Zule, of Easton, Kansas, admitted he was drinking on July 15 when he crashed the vehicle into a ditch. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and driving while under the influence.
Prosecutors say Zule told Leavenworth County Sheriff’s deputies at the scene that a deer came into their path. He swerved to avoid it, according to prosecutors, and the UTV rolled over.
In a statement Friday, Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said the case demonstrates how fatal DUI crashes can still happen when drivers operate smaller vehicles, such as golf carts. He called the wreck “an absolute tragedy.”
Zule was scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 6.
