A Lakeville man who was involved in a motorcycle accident that killed his buddy pleaded guilty Tuesday in Dakota County District Court to drunken driving and in exchange had a charge of criminal vehicular homicide dropped.

Corey M. Walters, 28, will be sentenced Feb. 23 in Hastings for third-degree driving under the influence.

The early-morning Labor Day crash last year killed Denny Matthew Gragert, 28, in Lakeville. About an hour before the accident, a witness saw the two men together, appearing as if they had been drinking. They crashed their motorcycles about 3 a.m. on Kendrick Avenue, north of County Road 46. Gragert died at the scene.

According to a criminal complaint, police arrived to find Gragert lying on the ground in a large pool of blood while Walters was parked nearby. Walters initially told police that he and Gragert were not riding together.

Investigators believe Walters had to quickly slow his motorcycle to round a curve when the rear tire locked, causing it to deflate. Gragert was believed to have been behind Walters and couldn't slow his motorcycle in time to avoid a collision. Both were thrown from their motorcycles. Neither was wearing a helmet.

JOY POWELL