Teenager given rehab and probation for fatal accident last year
The teenager who was driving drunk when his car slammed into a tree in Wharton Township last fall and caused the death of 17-year-old Zachery Nelson of Chalk Hill was sentenced Tuesday to rehabilitation and probation during a juvenile adjudication hearing in Fayette County Court.
Steven DiCenzo, 18, who was charged as a juvenile last year following the September accident, appeared in court before Senior Judge Conrad Capuzzi. He stood alongside his attorney Samuel J. Davis during the hearing.
Dicenzo was 17 when the fatal accident occurred and thus charged as a juvenile. There was no petition filed seeking to transfer the case to adult court.
DiCenzo said that he understood that he gave up his right to a hearing and trial by admitting that he was guilty of the charges lodged against him.
He was charged with homicide by vehicle, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, DUI and various summary offenses including driving at an unsafe speed, reckless driving, not wearing a seat belt and having more passengers than seat belts in the vehicle.
For more information, read Amy Revak’s article in the HeraldStandard.com