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Involuntary manslaughter plea in fatal turnpike crash

A Philadelphia man entered a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter in a fatal crash on the turnpike in East Penn Township that occurred over two years ago.

Aenri Collase Dunlap, 21, appeared before Carbon County Judge Joseph J. Matika to enter his plea to the misdemeanor one count. In exchange for the plea the district attorney's office dropped other counts, including felony three counts of homicide by vehicle and accidents causing death of serious injuries.Dunlap was the driver of a 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that was northbound on the turnpike, just north of the Lehigh Tunnel, when the car left the road and went down an embankment and caught fire.Killed in the crash was Isaiah Lawler, 18, of Philadelphia. There was another passenger in the vehicle who was not seriously injured.State police at Pocono said Dunlap was traveling at speeds of 90 to 96 mph when the crash occurred. First responders found the second passenger sitting at the top of the embankment and he told them there were two others involved in the crash. Dunlap and Lawler were found at the bottom of the embankment, police said. The vehicle was engulfed in flames when fire personnel arrived on scene.Troopers said in their report that the three were en route to Bloomsburg University for the weekend.Matika deferred sentencing and ordered the adult probation office to prepare a presentence investigation report.