Dunkin pleads not guilty in fatal crash

Roy Thomas Dunkin, 51, of Ramona, was ordered Wednesday held in jail on $2 million bond in a drunk driving death Saturday in a fiery crash on state Route 67.

Dunkin pleaded not guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the death of Lucas Makana Riley, 24, a Point Loma Nazarene University graduate who was to be married in October.

Dunkin was driving a Chevrolet pickup truck that initially struck a Buick sedan and then collided head-on with the Mini Cooper that Riley was driving behind the Buick. Riley’s car burst into flames and he died in his vehicle.

Dunkin is also charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and injuring three other people. The crash occurred south of Cloudy Moon Drive shortly after 7 p.m. Aug. 20 in the city limits of Poway.

Dunkin appeared in jail clothes before San Diego Superior Court Judge Fred Maguire, who set a preliminary hearing for Sept. 7. His lawyer did not contest the bail amount and attorneys did not discuss the facts of the case in court.

Dunkin had bandages wrapped around his arm as he broke his wrist in the crash. He remains in jail.

Several TV news stations reported that sheriff’s deputies recovered beer cans from Dunkin’s vehicle.

Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said Riley was one of four people who lost their lives in drunk driving incidents last weekend.

“Obviously, people aren’t getting the message of not drinking and driving,” said Bright. “This is 100 percent preventable.”

If Dunkin is convicted of all charges, he could face a maximum prison term of 15 years and four months, said Bright.

Riley was from Kauai, Hawaii. He graduated from PLNU in 2014 and was engaged to Shawna Wickwire, who also attended the university. Riley was an artist, and participated in a public art exhibit in Little Italy.

The medical examiner’s office in San Diego said he died from blunt force trauma and thermal injuries.