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First Posted: 11/3/2014 WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man from Missouri convicted of causing the alcohol-fueled death of a co-worker during a fight in Wilkes-Barre was sentenced to state prison on Monday.
Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley sentenced Patrick Ramirez, 26, to two to four years in state prison on a charge of accidents involving death. The sentence includes 90 days in jail on a drunken driving conviction.
A jury in September convicted Ramirez of causing the death of Shane Stewart, 25, of Missouri, in the McDonald&#8217;s Restaurant parking lot on Kidder Street on Sept. 9, 2013. The two men were employees for an electrical contractor installing fire alarms during construction of the hotel at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs casino at the time of the deadly incident.
Deputy Assistant District Attorney Chester Dudick and Assistant District Attorney Michele Hardik presented several witnesses during the trial, including co-workers of the two men.
Ramirez, Stewart and Stuart Thompson, of Missouri, spent several hours drinking at the hotel parking lot and Arena Bar and Grill on Coal Street in Wilkes-Barre. They were turned away from entering a strip club and were driven to the Host Inn on Kidder Street where they were staying, according to court records and testimony.
Thompson testified Ramirez drove a white Dodge pickup truck with Stewart to McDonald&#8217;s to get food. While there, the two men engaged in an argument about Ramirez being too drunk to drive.
Thompson told jurors Stewart got out of the pickup truck and demanded Ramirez do the same. Stewart climbed onto the driver&#8217;s side of the truck and took a swing at Ramirez, who then drove the vehicle forward.
Stewart struck his head on the pavement causing fatal injuries.
Ramirez was acquitted of the most serious charge, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, and another count of accidents involving death. If convicted of the most serious charge, Ramirez could have been sentenced to three to six years in prison.
Attorneys John Donovan, Charles Ross and Girard Mecadon defended Ramirez.

Sentence imposed in deadly crash