Man loses license for deadly DUI crash

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A man convicted in a DUI crash that killed his best friend will spend at least a year behind bars and can no longer operate a vehicle.

Christopher Alan Sell was just 19-years-old when he was involved in an accident that killed his 19-year-old passenger, William L. Keipe, in Pungo in October 2011.

Sell pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter, DUI, purchase/possession of alcohol by a person under 21 and display of a fictitious license in February. Macie Pridgen with the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office told WAVY.com Sell was sentenced to the following:

• For the involuntary manslaughter charge, Sell was sentenced to three years behind bars with two suspended, indefinite supervised probation, must have 10 years good behavior and an indefinite operator's license suspension.
• For the DUI charge, Sell was sentenced to 365 days behind bars with 300 suspended, must have three years good behavior, must pay a $350 fine, operator's license suspended for 12 months and must complete the ASAP program.
• For the underage possession of alcohol charge, Sell was sentenced to 180 days behind bars with 150 suspended, must have three years good behavior, must pay a $500 fee, operator's license suspended for 12 months and must complete the ASAP program.
• For the fictitious license charge, Sell was sentenced to spend 180 days behind bars with 150 suspended, must have three years good behavior and must pay a $100 fine.

The sentences will run consecutively, meaning Sell was sentenced to a total of one year and 125 days behind bars.

Sell, Keipe, Timothy Watters and Albert Bonney were all at Bonney's home before leaving in Sell's vehicle for two local bars. The group went to Kelly's Tavern and to a bar called Diesel, where Sell used a fake ID to buy drinks. He used his own debit card to pay his tab. 

After leaving the bar, Sell drove the group to a 7-Eleven. After leaving the convenience store, Sell failed to negotiate a curve in the 3700 block of West Neck Road. His 2000 Nissan Xterra went into a ditch and struck a series of trees on the passenger side.

Keipe died on impact while Watters suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung. Medics treated Sell at the scene for minor injuries. Court documents state Bonney left the scene after checking himself for injuries and returned home.

Sell's blood alcohol limit was between 0.12 and 0.135.