KINGMAN — A mandatory prison plea agreement has been entered for a Kingman man who admits responsibility for a deadly traffic accident in Golden Valley. Maximiliano Chavez, 29, pleaded guilty to manslaughter during an August 5 hearing before Mohave County Superior Court Judge Derek Carlisle.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said the pickup truck driven by Chavez was speeding when it crossed the center line and crashed head-on with a Hyundai SUV at 6:12 a.m. on May 2 in the vicinity of W. Shinarump Drive and S. Apache Road. The driver of the Hyundai, Marian Merk, 61, Golden Valley was fatally injured.
Chavez fled the scene and remained free until the next morning when he approached a Golden Valley resident asking for water.
Deputy Mohave County attorney Jacob Cote said a driving under the influence charge was not possible because the defendant’s blood alcohol dropped prior to his arrest. But the prosecutor said investigation proved that Chavez drank alcohol at three bars in Laughlin before the crash in Golden Valley.
The plea deal, if approved, will result in a 10.5 prison term for Chavez. Judge Carlisle scheduled a hearing and possible sentencing on September 5.
