LANCASTER, PA — On Wednesday. in a Lancaster County courtroom, a Manheim Township man, William Vaughan-Geib, 30, was sentenced to 8 to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to causing a fatal crash while driving under the influence of marijuana in December 2022. The crash resulted in the death of 63-year-old Carole Stockdale and serious injuries to another person.
Vaughan-Geib, from the 1100 block of Oakmont Drive, entered a negotiated plea acknowledging his responsibility for a series of charges including homicide by vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault while DUI, and other related offenses. This plea covered both the fatal incident and a previous DUI charge from two months prior.
The tragic accident occurred around 12:40 p.m. on December 29, 2022, on New Holland Pike in East Lampeter Township when Vaughan-Geib’s vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic, striking another car nearly head-on. Stockdale, a passenger in the impacted vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver suffered severe injuries and required hospitalization.
Investigations following the crash revealed drug paraphernalia and marijuana in Vaughan-Geib’s car. A blood test confirmed the presence of THC, indicating impairment at the time of the accident. It was also found that he was speeding, traveling at 65 miles per hour in a 40-mile-per-hour zone.
During the sentencing, First Assistant District Attorney Travis Anderson expressed his hope that the outcome would serve as a caution to others about the dangers of drug-impaired driving. In an emotional moment at the hearing, both Stockdale’s husband and the surviving victim extended forgiveness to Vaughan-Geib, a gesture that Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Conrad noted was rare for such cases.
In addition to his prison sentence, Vaughan-Geib is ordered to pay $33,589.21 in restitution for the damages caused. The case, prosecuted by Anderson, was initiated by charges filed by East Lampeter Township Police Officer Ryan Heistand, bringing a somber conclusion to a series of events that have deeply affected all involved parties.
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