SHALIMAR — Bill Eddins, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, stated in an Aug. 1 media release that Alvaro Moreno-Colorado of Milton entered a plea of no contest to charges of driving under the influence — manslaughter; operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license; and driving while under the influence causing property damage.
The charges arose from an Oct. 9, 2015 incident on Highway 90 near the Holt community.
The media release stated, "Moreno-Colorado crossed the center line of the highway and struck Joey V. Locke, who was operating a motorcycle, head on. Locke died as a result of his injuries. Blood tests indicated that Colorado-Moreno had a blood alcohol level of .19."
Locke, 51, was a Laurel Hill resident.
Sentencing is Sept. 19 before Okaloosa Circuit Judge Michael Flowers. Moreno-Colorado faces a maximum sentence of 16 years in state prison at the time of sentencing.
The Florida Highway Patrol conducted the investigation and arrest; Assistant State Attorney Clifton Drake was responsible for the prosecution.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Man enters plea in Laurel Hill manslaughter case