WAUPACA (WRN) - A Waupaca County man made his first court appearance Thursday on charges that he hit killed a pedestrian with his pickup truck, after both left a drinking party. 25-year-old Rori Kuenzi of Weyauwega is charged with homicide by drunk driving and hit and run causing death. His lawyer tried but failed to get the homicide charge dropped, saying the criminal complaint indicated that Kuenzi did not appear drunk at the time.
Kuenzi is accused of killing 20-year-old Kevin McCoy of Waupaca in October of 2004, and moving the victim’s body into a ditch before driving away.
He was not charged after an earlier investigation. But state justice officials took a new interest in the case after Kuenzi was accused a year ago of stealing a snowmobile and joining 2 others in killing a half-dozen deer on a Waupaca County trail. Kuenzi is due back in court January 8th in McCoy’s death.
A judge will decide if there’s enough evidence to order a trial. A passenger in Kuenzi’s truck, 23-year-old Walter Engel, is free on a signature bond. He’s charged with perjury for statements he made in a John Doe probe.
