Classmate admits guilt in crash deaths

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) - Takunda Mavima, the 18-year-old who admitted he was drinking the night he lost control of his car and killed two of his Wyoming Park High School classmates/passengers, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three charges.

Police said Takunda was driving a car with five other teenagers as passengers when he crashed on the I-196 off-ramp to Chicago Drive in Wyoming during the early morning of May 20.

Krysta Howell, 15, and Timothy See, 17, died from injuries they suffered. Huy Nguyen, Trenton Lambright and Dylan Stanaway were hurt in the wreck.

All of the teens are from Wyoming Park High School.

Just days after, he was arraigned on eight felonies:

    Two counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence causing death
    Two counts of reckless driving causing death
    Two counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury
    Two counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment

At that time, a court document alleged Takunda confessed to some of the accusations.

"(Takunda) admitted to being under the influence of alcohol," officer Phil Swiercz wrote in May. "(He) admitted to driving too fast and lost control."

In the plea agreement Wednesday, Mavima admitted guilt to two counts of Operating while intoxicated causing death. He also admitted to an amended count of OWI causing injury. The other charges were dropped.

He will be sentenced September 27, with the guidelines calling for a prison term of between 29-57 months.

There were a large number of supporters in the courtroom, including GVSU student Shane Harlan, who hosted the party in Allendale. Earlier, Harlan pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of allowing minors to consume alcohol and was sentenced to probation and community service.

Takunda, who was 17 at the time of the crash, had plans to attend school at Grand Valley State University in the fall.

He was a not a US citizen when the crash happened. He became a US citizen earlier this summer, and Judge James Redford advised him his guilty plea could attract the attention of US Immigration officials who might want to challenge his citizenship.

Mavima told Judge Redford he discussed it with his lawyer and chose to take the plea.