DA: Central Pennsylvania man sentenced up to 10 years for fatal DUI crash
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) -- A central Pennsylvania man will spend up to 10 years in prison for causing a vehicle crash that killed another man while he was under the influence last year. According to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office, the minimum sentence for 31-year-old Luis Cruz is four years, and he will pay more than $6,500 in restitution to the victim's family. He pleaded guilty June 10 to homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, along with three counts of DUI and three summary counts of traffic offenses. Ralph Groff, 72, was killed in the May 3, 2025, crash in the 2000 block of Horseshoe Road in East Lampeter Township. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to prosecutors. Cruz, the DA's Office said, had a BAC of 0.052%, and a blood draw showed he was under the influence of cocaine and THC at the time of the fatal wreck. His son was in the front passenger seat at the time as well. In an interview with police, the DA's Office said Cruz claimed he was driving at 40mph when Groff crossed into oncoming traffic. However, there was surveillance footage that showed it was Cruz who switched lanes, and investigators found he was traveling at almost 70mph seconds before the crash. There was a "torrential" downpour at the time of the crash, the DA's Office noted. East Lampeter Township Police filed charges in the case.
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