Ryan Brecko and his fiancee, Katie Toman-Poe.

BAKER CITY — The driver in a March 2023 collision that killed Baker City Fire Department firefighter Ryan Brecko has pleaded guilty to reckless driving.

Robert Lee Drinkard, 78, of Moro, in Sherman County in north-central Oregon, pleaded guilty Friday, May 24, in Baker County Circuit Court.

Judge Robert F. Nichols sentenced Drinkard to three years of probation and 150 hours of community service, including at least 40 hours that include driver improvement and traffic safety.

The judge suspended Drinkard’s driver’s license for 90 days; however, the sentence also prohibits him from driving a motor vehicle during the first year of probation.

During the second and third years of probation, Drinkard can drive only for work purposes. He is required to be tested by the DMV to ensure he is capable of driving.

The Baker County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the initial charge of criminally negligent homicide. A trial had been scheduled for August 2024.

Drinkard was represented by attorney Michael R. Mahony of Vale.

Baker County District Attorney Greg Baxter said Brecko’s family “participated fully” in a settlement conference.

“It was a very difficult situation because a young man lost his life due to Mr. Drinkard’s negligent behavior,” Baxter said. “However, he had no criminal history. I thought the judge came up with a well-crafted agreement that held Mr. Drinkard accountable but also justice for Mr. Brecko. I believe everybody left the courtroom believing that an appropriate amount of justice was served, even though there were no winners and losers in this situation.”

Baxter said a civil suit likely will be filed, based on comments during the sentencing.

The collision

According to Oregon State Police, Brecko was riding his 2020 Harley-Davidson motorcycle east on the Highway 203 overpass over the freeway at exit 298, about 5 miles north of Baker City, at around 1 p.m. on April 12, 2023.

Drinkard, then 77, was exiting the freeway in a 2007 Ford F-350 pickup truck. Drinkard drove past the stop sign at the top of the offramp and into the highway, where his pickup struck Brecko’s motorcycle. Brecko was thrown from the motorcycle in the collision.

An Oregon State Police trooper was parked nearby, saw the crash and immediately responded to the scene. The trooper called an ambulance and gave emergency medical care to Brecko, who was taken to Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City, where he later died.

Drinkard remained on scene and cooperated with investigators, according to OSP.

During Drinkard’s arraignment in April 2023, Baker County District Attorney Greg Baxter said Drinkard was having an issue with the canopy on his pickup truck as he was exiting the freeway. Baxter said Drinkard saw the state trooper who was parked near the offramp, and that Drinkard was intending to ask the trooper for help with the canopy issue.

Drinkard then accelerated through the stop sign, Baxter said.