Friend of Dr. Yurich testifies to amount of alcohol consumed before crash

YOUNGSTOWN

The prosecution Wednesday called a friend of Dr. Joseph Yurich and a bartender who served him the night of a fatal Berlin Reservoir boat crash in 2015 to establish that Dr. Yurich had been drinking before the crash.

Both witnesses said Dr. Yurich was not visibly impaired.

Andrew Crogan, a friend who was in Dr. Yurich’s wedding, said shortly after Dr. Yurich left a boat dock near his camper, Crogan was told to turn his music down because there had been a large explosion and someone was crying for help. Crogan went out to assist.

While on his way, he received a call from Dr. Yurich.

“He said he believed he hit something, and it wasn’t good,” Crogan told the court.

Dr. Yurich, 38, of Poland, faces several charges stemming from the May 9, 2015, incident that left one man dead and another injured.

Crogan also testified that Dr. Yurich had consumed two beers and a shot at a restaurant a few hours earlier.

That was confirmed by restaurant surveillance footage. It showed Dr. Yurich and his friends, including Crogan, arriving at the restaurant’s bar at 9:47 p.m. and leaving at 10:51 p.m.

The bartender said the shot was a “little beer.” which consists of Licor 43 and heavy whipping cream. Licor 43 is 31 percent alcohol by volume.

The crash occurred shortly after midnght.

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.