An East Lampeter Township man charged with homicide after his passenger in a 2015 crash he caused by driving drunk died due to complications from injuries she sustained will have his case proceed to county court after waiving his preliminary hearing.

Michael Anthony Ortiz, of the 300 block of Lynwood Road, waived his preliminary hearing before Judge Denise Commins on Feb. 17 on one count each of homicide by vehicle and homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.

Ortiz, 32, is accused of seriously injuring his passenger, Eliena Rodriguez, when he crashed the vehicle he was driving in the 2400 block of Old Philadelphia Pike in East Lampeter Township during the early morning hours of Sept. 6, 2015. Rodriguez, 36, ultimately died in January 2024 of complications arising from the numerous injuries she sustained in the crash.

Blood drawn from Ortiz less than two hours after the crash showed that he had a blood alcohol content of 0.13% at the time. Ortiz’s license was also suspended at the time of the collision.

In 2016 Ortiz pleaded guilty to several offenses stemming from the crash including aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence and was sentenced to two to four years in state prison followed by three years of probation.

Rodriguez’s extensive injuries included traumatic brain damage that left her in hospice care for the remainder of her life.

Ortiz is currently free on $50,000 unsecured bail.

East Lampeter Township Police Det. Andrew Garman filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Daniel Lingousky will prosecute the case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.