MUNCIE, Ind. — An Indianapolis man who was drunk when he caused a fatal head-on crash on Interstate 69 in Delaware County was sentenced Monday to 24 years in prison.

Walter Saucedo-Mendoza — who will observe his 32nd birthday this week — had pleaded guilty in Delaware Circuit Court 1 to two counts of causing death while driving while intoxicated and a single count of criminal recklessness.

According to Indiana State Police, Saucedo-Mendoza’s Kia Forte was traveling northbound in the interstate’s southbound lanes on Nov. 12, 2023, when it collided head-on with a southbound Chevrolet Malibu driven by Victoria Elaine Cox, 32, of Fort Wayne.

Cox and her husband, Evan Daniel Cox, 26, were pronounced dead at the scene, near the 234-mile marker and the Indiana 32/67 interchange in Daleville.

Authorities said Saucedo-Mendoza’s blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.186 soon after the collision. In Indiana, a motorist with a BAC of 0.08 or higher is considered intoxicated.

More: Two killed in head-on crash on I-69 in southwestern Delaware County

State police said the Indianapolis man’s car was traveling at 88 mph at the time of the crash.

At Monday’s hearing, Judge Judi Calhoun imposed a pair of 11-year sentences, to be served consecutively, for Saucedo-Mendoza’s DWI convictions.

He received a two-year sentence, also to be served consecutively, for the criminal recklessness conviction, which stemmed from damage sustained by a third vehicle.

Calhoun said she took exception to references to the interstate crash as an “accident.”

“This wasn’t an accident,” the judge said. “It was a crime.”

Calhoun said Saucedo-Mendoza made decisions both to become intoxicated and to then drive.

She said the “carnage and destruction” from his actions would “never be forgotten.”

Deputy prosecutor Steve Sneed recommended that the Indianapolis man receive a maximum sentence of 26 years and six months in prison.

He said Saucedo-Mendoza’s crimes had taken “two wonderful, amazing, truly gifted individuals from this Earth.”

According to Sneed, the Indianapolis man began his wrong-way trip up the interstate’s southbound lanes in Hamilton County and traveled through Madison County before his deadly encounter with the Fort Wayne couple near Daleville.

Four witnesses — the parents of both crash victims — testified about the devastating impact the couple’s deaths had on both family and friends.

Angela Schaefer, Victoria Cox’s mother, urged Calhoun to “please send a message to society” in sentencing Saucedo-Mendoza.

“He snuffed out one of the brightest lights who ever walked this Earth,” she said of her late daughter.

Evan Cox’s father, Dobie, also urged the judge to send “a message that says choosing to get behind the wheel impaired … will not be tolerated.”

Saucedo-Mendoza said he was “extremely remorseful for my actions.”

He indicated he was contending with personal problems at the time of the crash and maintained he had not consumed alcohol since that time. He also said he since had undergone counseling and attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

“I understand there are no excuses for what happened,” he said, also noting that he was seriously injured in the collision.

His defense attorney recommended the Indianapolis man receive a 10-year sentence.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

Meteorological winter arrived Sunday, and roads and visitor use sites will be closing soon within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

The National Park Service has released an overview of what wintertime visitors can expect at the 70,000-acre federal parkland straddling the Pennsylvania-New Jersey border.

Winter is a time of reduced staffing and visitation to the park, meaning the park service needs to prioritize areas that remain open, according to a park service news release.

“Plowing and treating the main roads through the park is our top priority when we have snow and ice,” states Bill Tagye, the park’s facility manager. “Secondary roads, administrative buildings, and visitor use sites that remain open for the winter will be plowed after the main roads have been cleared and are safe for travel. Some roads will receive no winter maintenance and others will be closed.”

Of the more than 150 miles of dirt and paved roads within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, the few determined to be of highest priority for snow and ice removal and treatment provide critical access to and through the park, including emergency access. They also provide routes for residents living within park boundaries to get to and from their homes, according to the release.

Visitors should bear in mind, however, that during and after winter weather events, roads may be snow-covered and driving may be hazardous. Even high priority roads may be closed temporarily if conditions deteriorate faster than road crews can keep up with or in the event of equipment failures or breakdowns. If that occurs, these roads will be re-opened as soon as park staff can get them cleared for travel.

Otherwise, anticipated closures will go into effect on Jan. 2, 2025, or at the first significant snowfall, whichever comes first. Most sites will re-open on April 15 while others will re-open in May.

The park service breaks down the priority areas and closures as follows:

Pennsylvania roads

Route 209 is the top priority road for winter maintenance and treatment in Pennsylvania.

River Road in Pennsylvania will receive no winter maintenance and will be closed prior to snow and/or ice events and re-opened when conditions permit. Zion Church Road will be plowed after River Road has been opened.

New Jersey roads

In New Jersey, the top priority roads that will remain open during the winter months are:

• Route 602 (from Millbrook Village to the National Park Service boundary).
• Route 615 except sections that are closed due to an active landslide and a road washout.
• Pompey Ridge Road to Route 615.
• Old Mine Road between Flatbrookville and Pompey Ridge Road.
• Old Mine Road between Millbrook and Flatbrookville.

Old Mine Road closures are planned as follows:

• The section of Old Mine Road between the northern boundary of Worthington State Forest and Millbrook Village and the dirt section of Old Mine Road near Van Campen Inn will be closed for winter.
• The northern section of Old Mine Road between Mettler Road and the intersection with Route 206 will receive no winter maintenance: This 4-mile section of road will not be plowed or treated for ice and may be closed if safety hazards arise. Depending on the weather, roads may be snow-covered and icy. Travel on this section of road is at your own risk. Cellphone service is not reliable.

Other New Jersey roads:

• Blue Mountain Lakes Road will be closed to vehicles at the bottom of the hill prior to a storm and will be re-opened when conditions allow. When the road is closed, visitors may walk, ski or snowshoe on the road to access the Blue Mountain Lakes trailhead, Skyline Drive, Crater Lake and the Appalachian Trail.
• The National Park Service section of Mountain Road will be closed to vehicles for the winter. The historic bridge over the Flatbrook in Walpack Center remains closed indefinitely due to substantial structural damage.
• Jager Road, from Old Mine Road to the park boundary, will receive no winter maintenance.

Visitor use sites

Walkways and parking lots will normally be cleared within 72 hours of the end of a storm, according to the release.

River access: River access will be available at Dingmans Access, Milford Beach and Bushkill Access. These areas will be closed temporarily during a storm and re-opened after priority routes are clear and safe for travel. River ice may limit access depending on conditions. The park service does not clear river ice from launch areas. Eshback Access will remain open but will receive no winter maintenance.

Trail access: All trails that are currently open will remain open during the winter, but trailhead parking will be dependent on conditions and may be limited in some areas. Road closures may also affect access to some trails. Trailhead parking areas that will remain open during the winter months will not be cleared of ice and snow until after all priority routes are clear and safe for travel. Trails are not maintained or groomed and may be ice- or snow-covered during the winter months.

Additional notes about trail access include:

• McDade Recreational Trail parking areas will be plowed after all other roads and facilities have been completed (except Jerry Lees and Venturo, which will receive no winter maintenance).
• The parking lot and access road to Dingmans Falls will remain closed to vehicles from Jan. 2, or the first significant snowfall, to April 15 but the trail will remain open, and visitors may walk, ski, or snowshoe on the roads leading to the falls.
• The upper parking lot for Raymondskill Falls will be closed from Jan. 2, or the first significant snowfall, to April 15 but the lower parking lot will remain open, as conditions permit.
• The parking lot for George W. Childs Park will be closed from Jan. 2, or the first significant snowfall, to April 15.
• The Cliff Park trailhead parking area will receive no winter maintenance and will be open as conditions allow.

Park service officials note that restrooms are available at the Kittatinny Point Picnic Area, Blue Mountain Lakes parking area and Millbrook Village in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania at Dingmans Access, Bushkill Meeting Center, Bushkill Access, Hidden Lake, Toms Creek and Milford Beach.

Visitors can use this Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Guide to help orient themselves to closures and areas without winter maintenance. It’s included below for viewing on some web-based platforms.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.