A Tennessee man accused in a wild hit-and-run spree on Route 30 last month is scheduled to plead guilty on Sept. 25.
William Lee Grabel, 51, signed off Tuesday on a tentative agreement with prosecutors that would call for a sentence of time served to 23 months in the Westmoreland County Prison in exchange for a guilty plea to some of the charges against him, officials said. The tentative agreement must be approved by a judge.
He waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday on numerous charges, including driving under the influence, reckless endangerment and accidents involving injury.
Grabel — who is from LaFollette, about 45 minutes north of Knoxville in eastern Tennessee — has been behind bars on $100,000 bail since his arrest June 27 in connection with the spree on a heavily-traveled section of Route 30 in Hempfield.
He did not have a valid driver’s license and told state police he injected methamphetamine just before getting behind the wheel, according to court papers. Police seized bottles of Smirnoff Ice and syringes from the vehicle.
State police said six drivers and passengers in five vehicles were involved in three crash scenes around 7 p.m. near Westmoreland Mall along Route 30 at East Pittsburgh Street, Eastgate Plaza and the exit ramp at Humphrey Road.
Police reported that several witnesses said Grabel drove the wrong way before crashing into an embankment at a ramp to Route 30 from Humphrey Road. Police said he took off on foot but was apprehended by two troopers.
