Change-of-plea hearing scheduled for ex-golf director accused of DWI in fatal crash

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Former Coyote Crossing Golf Director Brent Wills plans to plead guilty to some of the eight charges that accuse him of drunk driving resulting in death and serious bodily injury, according to online court records.

Wills is accused of being intoxicated when he drove into the intersection of Tippecanoe County Road 400 West and U.S. 52 on Sept. 18, and causing an accident that killed Kimberly Burge, 56, and Jaden Harvey, 17, as well as seriously injuring Burge's son, Rylan Burge — all from Benton County.

Rylan Burge and his best friend, Harvey, had been in Lafayette with Kimberly Burge celebrating Rylan's 17th birthday. They were driving home to Fowler when the crash happened, according to civil lawsuits filed against Wills and Coyote Crossing.

Wills' change of plea hearing is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. May 20 in Tippecanoe Superior 2. It is not known yet to which charges he will plead guilty.

Wills currently faces four charges of driving while intoxicated causing death, two charges of driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, and two counts of reckless homicide.

Prosecutors allege that Wills and Evan Witkoske, a passenger in Wills' company-owned Jeep at the time of the crash, were at an all-day golf outing and Wills had been drinking.

Wills initially refused to submit to a blood-alcohol content test, so police got a search warrant to force him. After the extra time to get the warrant, Wills' blood-alcohol content tested .32% — four times higher than Indiana's limit of .08%, according to court documents.

Indiana State Police investigations of the crash indicated that Wills, of West Lafayette, was northbound at 62 mph when he blew the stop sign at the intersection. He struck Burge's westbound Pontiac on the driver's side, according to the probable cause affidavit for the charges.

The impact killed Kimberly Burge and Harvey, at the scene and severely injured Rylan Burge, who suffered a fractured neck, a broken clavicle, an occipital fracture, a lacerated spleen and pulmonary contusions, according to prosecutors.

Additionally, Erik Harvey, Jaden Harvey's father, filed a lawsuit in November against Wills, as did Brandon Fultz, Ryan Burge's brother and guardian.

Last month, United Farm Family Mutual Insurance filed a civil suit against Wills, Coyote Crossing, Fultz and Harvey, asking for a summary judgment that would block the company from having to pay damages from the crash.

The three civil cases are still pending.

Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Golf director accused of DWI in fatal crash has a change-of-plea hearing