A newlywed Virginia man driving home from work last month was killed in a crash with a man who lost his license because of a drunken driving conviction earlier this year.
Kevin Harrah, 27, who married 24-year-old Amanda Sharpe just more than a year ago, had just closed a Pizza Hut in Stafford the night of Sept. 16 when his car was struck from behind by 59-year-old Charles R. Fife on Route 1 near Manning Drive, police said. Fife was intoxicated, according to police.
When Fife lost his license earlier this year, he requested and was given restricted driving privileges.
Stafford County Commonwealth's Attorney Eric Olsen charged Fife with involuntary manslaughter at first but recently increased the charge to aggravated manslaughter.
"We determined speed was a significant factor,” Olsen said. “He hadn't applied the brakes before the accident. He was driving on a suspended license because of a prior DWI. And he should have had an ignition interlock in the car, which would have kept him from driving if he had any alcohol."
A Virginia State Police trooper learned Fife may have been sending and receiving text messages around the time of the crash and got a search warrant for Fife’s phone.
If convicted of aggravated manslaughter, Fife faces the possibility of 20 years in prison.
