Man enters pleas in 2011 bicyclist crash case

YOUNGSTOWN — A Lake Milton entered guilty pleas today in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to reduced charges in a 2011 crash that killed a bicyclist.

Nathan Skaggs, 21, entered guilty pleas before Judge Lou D’Apolito to misdemeanor charges of vehicular homicide and assault for the Nov. 17, 2011, death of 18-year-old Derek Martin.

Skaggs was indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of drugs in May of 2012. The driving under the influence of alcohol was dropped and the other two charges amended in exchange for his pleas.

Assistant Prosecutor Shawn Burns said that the plea was made because tests done found marijuana in Skaggs’ system but the tests could not reveal if Skaggs was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident.

Burns also said that an accident report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol said some of the blame may have lied with Martin, who was riding his bicycle around dusk when he was hit from behind by a vehicle driven by Skaggs.