ELYRIA, Ohio — The 24-year-old Vermilion man accused of driving the car involved in a fatal Lorain crash last year was in court on Monday for arraignment.
Nicholas Fenik pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, plus two misdemeanor charges in connection to the crash that took the life of his passenger, 28-year-old Trent Neal, on June 17, 2023. Bond was set at $500,000.
However, 3News has also learned that the crash was not the first time that Fenik dealt with law enforcement on that night.
A friend of Neal's tells 3News that he was a "one of a kind person who was always there for anyone," telling 3News in a statement that "I hope that when people think of Trent they remember how he tried to make the best of everyday and lived life to its fullest."
3News also spoke with Fenik's lawyer, who said he would defend his client to the best of his abilities.
Stopped in Westlake
Roughly 30 minutes before the fatal crash in Lorain, Fenik was stopped by the Westlake Police Department for an equipment violation on I-90 near the Lorain County/Cuyahoga County line. Specifically, the officer noted that Fenik's license plate light was out. Neal was sitting in the front seat at the time of the traffic stop.
Fenik was given a verbal warning and was then released.
The Crash
The crash in Lorain happened at approximately 10:35 p.m. on Kolbe Road near Rossi Way. Investigators say Fenik "failed to operate his 2005 Dodge Neon SRT with reasonable control" as he and Neal were heading from a birthday party to another friend's house. The vehicle was going north on Kolbe Road, passed Oakcrest Drive, then failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway. The car struck a culvert and overturned, coming to rest in the front yard of a residence in the 4100 block of Kolbe Road.
Fenik sustained serious injuries and was transported to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center. Neal was life-flighted to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, where he later died from his injuries.
On Friday, the Lorain Police Department announced that it had arrested Fenik after a lengthy investigation into the crash.
"The investigation concluded that Nicholas Fenik failed to operate his 2005 Dodge Neon SRT with reasonable control in a diminished driving environment, resulting in him leaving the roadway, colliding with a concrete culvert, and rolling over," Lorain police wrote in a release announcing the arrest. "Contributing to the severity of the crash was the Dodge Neon's high impact velocity as a result of Fenik's operation in willful or wanton disregard for public safety. Also contributing to the crash was Fenik's recent consumption of alcohol, which diminished his ability to operate his motor vehicle safely."
"Due to his reckless actions, Fenik killed his front-seat passenger, Trent Neal, and seriously injured himself."
Lorain Sgt. Kyle Gelenius, the investigating traffic reconstructionist, noted that Fenik was "adding insult to injury" by apparently drinking and driving and then posting it to social media.
“We have evidence of Fenik posting on social media drinking and driving, so I assume the prosecutor will introduce those things as evidence as this case progresses,” Gelenius told 3News in an interview Monday morning, saying this situation "could have easily been prevented."
With his $500,000 bond, Fenik was also put on "zero tolerance" for drugs and alcohol, which includes a continuous alcohol monitor and court-ordered suspension of his license.
In the Friday release, Gelenius also said that the case remains open, and additional charges are being considered against Fenik and others involved in the case who obstructed the police investigation.