Man to serve 5 years for manslaughter

BISMARCK (AP) — A man charged in a Morton County crash that killed another man has been ordered to serve five years in prison for manslaughter.

Jon Paul Eikanas of Bismarck pleaded guilty to the felony charge this week.

The 22-year-old Eikanas was accused of causing the death of Dustin Kessel of Bismarck in a July 20th crash near New Salem.

Prosecutors said Eikanas was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was speeding at the time of the crash. The 21-year-old Kessel was a passenger in the car.

Judge Bruce Romanick sentenced Eikanas to 10 years in prison with five years suspended. The sentence will start after Eikanas finishes serving time for probation revocation on a gross sexual imposition charge. Corrections officials said that sentence is expected to run until mid-September, 2012.

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