Lovelace pleads no contest to homicide charges in Hwy. 151 crash

FOND DU LAC COUNTY (WITI) -- 26-year-old Clinton Lovelace, the man accused of crashing into a group of motorcyclists on Highway 151 in May of 2012 pleaded no contest to homicide charges on Tuesday afternoon, September 24th in Fond du Lac County court.

The prosecution is recommending that Lovelace spend the next 20 years in prison for killing two bikers and injuring three -- much less than he originally faced.

Charges against Lovelace were amended on Tuesday, as Lovelace's defense attorney argued the level of oxycodone in his system was too small to prove he was intoxicated.

Lovelace pleaded no contest to two counts of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and entered an Alford Plea to three counts of second degree reckless injury. In an Alford Plea, the criminal defendant does not admit the act, but admits that the prosecution could likely prove the charge.

Lovelace is accused of crashing into a group of motorcyclists, killing two Michigan men, on Highway 151 in May of 2012. The men riding that day were members of the Muskegon Motorcycle Gang club. Lovelace struck 10 out of the 12 motorcyclists. Two were killed and three were injured.

Lovelace originally faced 13 charges, including intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.

Dozens of motorcyclists packed the Fond du Lac County Courthouse Tuesday -- hoping to send a powerful message that if you kill a biker, you'll have to face his brothers.

"We want to make sure that people are held accountable. Hopefully we have such an overwhelming crowd there will be standing room only in the hallway. When he walks into the courtroom we want to make sure he sees a lot of bikers' eyes and that he understands that we do stand together," Tomann said.

Julie Jerkis' fiance Douglas Yonkers was one of two men killed in the crash.

"I'm really upset that this senseless thing had to happen. What do you do? How do you start over when you found the one for you? What do you do?" Jerkis said.

Also on hand during Tuesday's court hearing was Ric Van Dam -- the first motorcyclist who was struck.

"He was in a coma for over a week. He was in a hospital for 95 days. He left his leg on the side of the highway," Tomann said.

"I want him to remember my face. Sounds stupid maybe. I want him to see me. I want to personalize it. I want him to see I'm a real person -- not just a name on a piece of paper," Van Dam said.

Motorcyclists left a memorial at the crash scene -- a scene Tomann says resembled a war zone.

"525 feet of twisted metal, twisted bike and car parts," Tomann said.

Lovelace has told police he remembers nothing from the crash.

Lovelace will be sentenced on February 6th.