Homer Man Accused of Abandoning Injured Passenger in DWI Crash

Felony drunk driving and several other charges are filed against a Homer man after he allegedly abandoned his injured passenger following a crash on Locust Avenue in the Town of Cortlandville.

Cortland County Sheriff’s officials say they responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash at around 2 a.m. April 13 and found the passenger in the vehicle with a head injury.  That person was airlifted to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.

Deputies say 30-year-old Zackary Rice is accused of driving drunk and running away leaving his injured passenger behind.

Rice is charged with felony drunk driving due to a prior D-W-I conviction.  He’s also charged with leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, failure to keep right, speeding and driving across hazard markings.

He was sent to the Cortland County Jail on $10,000 bail.