Rock Hill man pleads guilty in DUI death of his best friend from I-77 fatal crash
A Rock Hill man has been sentenced to five years in prison for DUI resulting in death after a man in his car was killed in a fatal crash on Interstate 77.
Tylik Ondarrius Simril, 22, pleaded guilty Friday in York County criminal court, according to court records. The five-year sentence in the S.C. Department of Corrections was a negotiated deal between prosecutors and Simril, records show.
Jared Blake, 20, died in the November 2019 crash on I-77 near Exit 88, said Willy Thompson, 16th Circuit deputy solicitor.
Simril was driving south on I-77 at speeds reaching 85 mph when he lost control and hit the highway median, Thompson said. Blake was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Simril had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .21, which is more than double the legal limit, Thompson said.
Simril and Blake were best friends, and Blake was set to join the military, Thompson said.
Simril pleaded guilty under what is called an Alford plea. In an Alford plea in South Carolina, a defendant accepts the punishment of a guilty plea without admitting guilt. The defendant accepts that if the case went to trial, there is a substantial risk the defendant would be found guilty.
Simril told the S.C. Highway Patrol he did not remember details from the crash, including that he was the driver, Thompson said. The police investigation showed that Simril was the driver, Thompson said.
Simril’s lawyer, Robert Bruce, said after extensive investigation, there was some suggestion that Simril was not the driver. However, Simril chose to accept the negotiated plea and move forward in his life after the death of one of his best friends, Bruce said.
“This was a very tragic case where Mr. Simril lost his friend,” Bruce said.
Simril has been in jail since shortly after the crash.
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 2:13 PM.
