BILLINGS - The Yellowstone County Coroner's Office on Thursday released the name of a motorcyclist who was killed by an alleged drunk driver.
Aaron Lurz, 34 of Billings, was killed Tuesday night when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle near the corner of Molt Road and Masters Boulevard.
Lurz was a single father and a decorated U.S. Marine who served his country in Afghanistan, according to friends.
On Thursday, several friends spoke to MTN News about Lurz. One, who declined to be identified, said, "He was a man of grace and understanding and one who valued family above all else."
The driver of the vehicle, 40-year-old Kevin Roy Welter, was arraigned Thursday morning in Yellowstone County District Court on a charge of vehicular homicide while under the influence.
According to charging documents, Welter told Billings police that he was heading north on Molt Road in a vehicle attempting to turn left onto Masters Boulevard when he struck the motorcyclist, who was heading south on Molt Road. Lurz died at the scene.
Officers later determined that the motorcyclist had the right-of-way, according to the charging documents.
The Billings police officer questioning Welter alleged he could smell alcohol on his breath and that he was staggering while he was walking, according to charging documents.
The officer took Welter to the city's DUI Center to conduct a DUI investigation because the crash scene was too crowded. On the way there, Welter allegedly said several times that he had just "killed a guy" but added that it was not his fault, according to charging documents.
The officer asked Welter to perform parts of the field sobriety test. Welter allegedly refused to provide a breath sample, so the officer obtained a warrant from a judge to obtain a blood sample, according to charging documents.
