Jeffrey Eggeling, the man accused of killingSarah Hyland’steenage cousin in analleged drunk driving accident, will soon face prison time.
More than six months after Trevor Canaday’s death, Eggeling, 37, has entered a plea.
On July 2, Eggeling pleaded no contest to motor vehicle homicide, driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury, Douglas County Attorney Donald W. Kleine confirmed to PEOPLE on Thursday.
Eggeling will be sentenced Sept. 19 and faces up to 53 years in prison.
In early December, theModern Familystar’s14-year-old cousin died in Omaha, Nebraska, after a driver ran through a red light at an intersection and caused a collision.
“The driver of the at-fault vehicle, who was later identified as Jeffrey Eggeling, left the scene of the collision on foot,” the police report stated. “The collision resulted in two individuals from the other involved vehicle suffering life-threatening injuries. Eggeling was located on foot a short distance from the collision scene.”
Omaha Police Department
According to the police report, the officers could smell “the odor of alcoholic beverage” on Eggeling, who also had “slurred speech” at the time.
The police also stated that the collision caused Trevor to be ejected from the vehicle. He later died after being transported to a local hospital. Trevor’s father, who was also in the car, suffered head and facial injuries during the crash and is still recovering.
Before his preliminary hearing, Eggeling had been “charged with motor vehicle homicide, DUI causing serious bodily injury and failing to stop and render aid,” according to theOmaha World-Herald. The publication also reported that the driver, who was driving a 2011 Ford Escape 69 mph in a 45 mph zone,had “a glass pipe, keys and a small bottle of alcohol” in his vehicle.
Additional charges of manslaughter and assault were later brought against Eggeling.
At the end of December, Eggeling remained in jail on a $750,000 bond as he awaited trial. In the past, he had been convicted three times for driving while intoxicated and for operating a boat while drunk,E! News also reported. It was unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf or had entered a plea.
On July 3,Omaha World-Heraldreportedthat Eggeling’s plea bargain eliminated the need for a week-long trial, which was set to begin last week.
Sarah Hyland/Instagram
According to the page, Trevor and his dad Bryan were “driving to a show choir event and were involved in a serious car accident due to a drunk driver.”
source: people.com
