HARTFORD CITY, Ind. — An eastern Indiana man charged in the crash deaths of his two young children has pleaded guilty to having drugs in his system when his pickup truck was in a fiery crash last year.
Robert W. Cook, 37, of Montpelier, pleaded guilty Monday to five of the 15 charges filed against him following the crash, including two counts of causing death when driving with a controlled substance in his system.
Authorities say his pickup truck collided head-on last October with a semi-tractor trailer and caught on fire, killing 6-year-old Justin Wayne Cook, and 5-year-old Raelynn Michelle Cook.
Prosecutors say Cook was under the influence of amphetamine and cannabinoids when he crossed the center line and hit the semi.
A judge will decide whether to accept Cook's plea during a hearing scheduled for May 3 at 10 a.m.
