Colorado Springs man pleads guilty after causing fatal crash last July
Nathaniel Patrick Stager faces decades in prison after pleading guilty to several charges in connection with a fatal crash he caused last July in Colorado Springs.
Stager pled guilty Wednesday to vehicular homicide, aggravated motor vehicle theft, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender after the crash that happened on July 22. That wreck resulted in the death of 77-year-old Paul Gannarelli.
Stager was arrested by police two days after he fled the scene of the crash.
Stager was originally charged with first-degree murder, but the plea deal will likely land him a less severe sentence. According to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, he faces between 24 and 42 years in prison. He’ll be sentenced on June 24.
The crash happened near the 200 block of North Powers Boulevard. Witnesses told police that Stager “potentially grabbed the steering wheel, forcing the vehicle into oncoming traffic.”
The driver of the car Stager was in told police Stager was “upset and purposefully grabbed the steering wheel.”
A reason wasn’t clearly outlined in the arrest documents for Stager, but the driver did say Stager said he would kill a mutual friend of theirs, and kill the driver because they “would be a witness.”
The arrest documents said witnesses saw Stager flee the scene heading east carrying a black bag. That black bag was later recovered by police. Documents said a handgun and two live rounds were found inside.
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The crash happened just after 1 p.m. on Powers Blvd. between Galley and Platte. One person is dead, but their identity hasn’t been released yet.
Police are searching for Nathaniel Patric Stager. He is 25 years old, 5’11”, 170 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Police are also searching for a vehicle they said Stager stole from the scene. It’s a 1990 Chevy Suburban with a Colorado license plate of JGO883.
CSPD Public Information Officer Lt. Howard Black said police are not investigating this as a traffic accident, but an intentional crash/death. Black also said this could turn into a homicide investigation.
