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Bucks man sentenced to state prison term for homicide by vehicle

A Bucks County man was sentenced to a state prison term on Tuesday in Carbon County court on charges of homicide by vehicle, accidents involving death or personal injury and three counts of aggravated assault by vehicle, all felonies.

Ian J. Becker, 31, of Chalfont, and formerly of Bethlehem, was sentenced to serve a total of three to seven years in a state correctional institution by Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Kidder Township police investigated a one-car crash that occurred at 4:22 p.m. Nov. 3, 2018, on South Lakeshore Drive in Lake Harmony.

James Boyle, 24, of Albrightsville, a rear-seat passenger, was killed in the crash.

Police said that Becker, the driver, and the front-seat passenger fled the scene after the crash. They were later located and identified. The 2017 Nissan Altima was traveling at a high rate of speed when Becker lost control and crashed.

Other passengers in the vehicle were identified as John Healey, 26, of Lake Harmony, who fled the scene with Becker; rear passenger, Cole Rex, 25, of Lehighton, who was taken by ambulance to Geisinger Wyoming Valley; and the victim, Boyle, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

In addition to the prison term, Becker was ordered to get a drug and alcohol evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, render 100 hours of community service when paroled, supply a DNA sample, license suspended for a year and pay court costs of about $1,000.

He was given credit for six days spent in jail on the charges.