Columbia man pleads guilty to charges in fatal drunk driving case

A Columbia man with two previous driving while intoxicated convictions pled guilty to second-degree murder and four other crimes for his was involvement in a fatal wrong-way wreck on U.S. 54 in March 2013 in Cole County.

Dennis G. Leporin, 29, admitted his guilt to second-degree murder, second-degree assault and driving while intoxicated - all felonies - plus two misdemeanors, driving while his license was revoked and driving the wrong way on a highway.

Judge Dennis Green accepted the pleas, Monday, and ordered final sentencing in August.

Leporin said he was making his plea freely.

There is no plea agreement.

For the murder charge, Leporin is facing a punishment range of 10-30 year to life in prison.

Jefferson City police said Leporin was driving east in the westbound lanes of U.S. 54, when his 1999 Ford Ranger collided head-on with Chelsea D. Fredrickson's 2003 Saturn Ion.

Fredrickson, 19, Camdenton, was killed.

Her passenger, Jasper J. Richmond, was seriously injured.

Police said Leporin received moderate injuries in the wreck.

Police said the accident happened near the Missouri 179/Route B interchange.

In a probable cause statement, Officer Andrew Lenart reported Leporin 's "eyes were watery and there was a strong odor of an intoxicating beverage" when the officer first met Leporin , still seated in his truck while waiting for emergency responders to pry his door open.

Lenart wrote that Leporin said he'd had "a couple" of drinks.

Later, at the hospital, the probable cause statement reported that Leporin "made statements to officers that 'I was in a horrible wreck that I caused' and that he was 'really wasted.'"

He told officers he'd been drinking whiskey and Coke.

"He also stated, 'This crash happened because I've been drinking,'" the report said.

Investigators often use an "Alcohol Influence Report" in cases like this one, and the probable cause statement said Leporin "had some unusual answers" to its questions, including: "He stated that he was in Arkansas and that the year was 2012."

Police said he agreed to submit to a chemical blood test, with two samples taken an hour apart.

Police said his two DWI convictions were in July 2008 and October 2011.