Police said his drunken-driving resulted in the death of a passenger
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
On Tuesday, James P. Wilkins IV waived his preliminary hearing on charges stemming from a fatal crash on Jan. 1 that police attributed to his drunken-driving.
A 23-year-old Coatesville man would like to take back his actions on New Year’s Day, but he knows he can’t. Instead, he must live with the agonizing knowledge that his drunken-driving resulted in the death of his best friend.
On Tuesday, James P. Wilkins IV, accompanied by his mother and his attorney, Lewis P. Hanna, waived his preliminary hearing in West Goshen district court on charges that include homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter.
West Goshen police said Wilkins was traveling south on Rt. 202 near Rt. 100 on Jan. 1 at 5:02 a.m. when he lost control of 1998 Plymouth Breeze. Roadway evidence indicated the vehicle first approached the grassy median and then veered right, continuing across both southbound lanes onto the west shoulder, striking a steel pole, the criminal complaint said.
The impact, which spun the vehicle 360 degrees, caused the ejection of Claude “L.C” Norris III, 22, of Coatesville, a rear-seat passenger in the vehicle, the complaint said. Norris was pronounced dead at the scene, the complaint said. It also said that blood taken from Wilkins an hour and a half after the crash showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.176, more than twice the legal limit.
At Paoli Hospital, Wilkins told police he had been drinking earlier and did not “recall any of the events that led to the collision,” the complaint said. Officers detected “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage” from Wilkins’ breath when speaking with him, according to the complaint.
Norris, the son of Claude Norris Jr. and Desiree Johnson Norris, was a 2009 graduate of Coatesville Area Senior High who was attending West Chester University, according to his obituary . A four-year employee of the Wal-Mart in Exton, he enjoyed playing football, lifting weights and making people laugh.
Asked whether a plea agreement was likely, Hanna said it was premature to make that decision. “All parties here understand the severity of the situation,” he said, adding that Wilkins is receiving counseling.
Wilkins, who has been free after posting 10 percent of $50,000 bail, said he thinks about Norris daily and is “definitely” done with drinking. “He was my best friend,” said Wilkins, shaking his head.
