A west metro man has reached a plea deal and admitted to being in a pickup truck that dragged an 18-year-old to his death during a drug deal gone awry.

James D. Striebel of Howard Lake pleaded guilty Tuesday in Wright County District Court to second-degree manslaughter. Striebel had originally been charged with second-degree murder and robbery, but both of those counts will be dismissed.

Striebel, 19, who has been jailed since soon after the death of Justin Harvey in August 2016, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 29.

Sentencing guidelines call for a term of 41 to 57 months. With credit for time in jail, Striebel would spend 17 to 28 months in prison, with the balance on supervised release.

The pickup's driver, 20-year-old Noelle A. Ziegelmann of Montrose, was sentenced in June to nearly 3½ years.

Ziegelmann pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide and also had a robbery charge dismissed. She is serving the first 22 months in prison and the balance on supervised release.

Harvey had arranged a roadside meeting outside his house to sell a quarter-ounce of marijuana to Striebel, who was a passenger in the pickup Ziegelmann was driving.

Striebel grabbed the bags of marijuana and Ziegelmann floored the accelerator. Harvey hung on as the pickup's tires squealed but soon let go. Deputies arrived at the 500 block of 1st Street N. and found Harvey near death. He later died.

Ziegelmann quickly confessed to the plot to rob Harvey of the marijuana.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482