A New Castle County grand jury indicted a Newark business owner on a vehicular homicide charge stemming from a fatal off-road vehicle accident.
Walter E. Ferris was indicted following the late January accident involving a multi-passenger off-road vehicle in the Corner Ketch area north of Newark.
According to the indictment, Ferris was allegedly intoxicated while driving the vehicle. A passenger, Jack Birch, died of injuries from the accident.
Ferris was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, a felony, and a misdemeanor charge of operating an offroad vehicle while intoxicated.
The investigation was conducted by New Castle County Police.
Ferris owns Ferris Home Improvements, with offices in Newark and the Rehoboth area.. He is also a co-owner of a tavern and pizza restaurant.
Second-degree vehicular homicide carries a sentence of one to eight years.
Delaware Online reported Ferris posted an $85,000 cash bond.
