MASSILLON, OH : Fatal crash caused by drunk driver on Saturday, December, 23rd 2017

A Medina man was drunk last month when he caused a crash that killed a New Philadelphia man and seriously injured a woman, investigators say.

Richard K. Hardesty, 52, is facing charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, operating a vehicle while intoxicated and driving under suspension. The aggravated vehicular homicide charge is a first-degree felony that can bring a prison term of up to 11 years.

Hardesty’s driver’s license was suspended at the time of the Nov. 17 crash, and he has two prior drunken driving convictions within the last six years, according to a news release posted by the Massillon Police Department.

According to police, Hardesty failed to stop at a red light at state Route 21 and Walnut Road and hit another vehicle from behind. The other vehicle lunged forward from the force of the rear-end collision and struck a third vehicle.

A young couple, the Hochstetlers, were inside the vehicle that was hit from behind.

It took more than a month for an arrest to be made as the county crash team completed its investigation, said Canton police Sgt. Steven Swank, team leader for the Canton Metro Crash Investigation Team. Hardesty was arrested Friday.

Attempts were made to reach the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office Friday for comment but the office was closed.

Joshua Hochstetler, 28, and his wife Kourtney, 26, were severely injured and taken to Affinity Medical Center after they were freed from their vehicle. The couple was later flown to Akron General where Joshua Hochstetler later died from his injuries.

Kourtney Hochstetler was transferred to Union Hospital in Dover where she underwent physical therapy. Roy Burnham, her grandfather, said she broke both of her hips.

Burnham said Hochstetler is healing better than expected and should be released from the hospital in time for the holiday. Burnham said a family member will be with her at all times while she is still healing as she cannot put weight on her feet.

“Physically, she’s done well,” Burnham said. “She’s done better than expected. “But losing her husband, that’s another thing.”

The couple met in high school and were married for just shy of a year and six months before the crash.

Burnham said he wasn’t aware charges against Hardesty had been filed but knew they would be coming soon.

“To a lot of people that’s pre-meditative murder, especially if there is repeated offenses,” Burnham said.

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Fatal crash caused by drunk driver