COLUMBUS — A judge on Wednesday convicted a man of driving drunk and hitting and killing a State Highway Patrol officer in November.

        David Dye, 33, of Westerville, pleaded no contest in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to one count each of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol, according to bailiff Pat Griffin.

        Judge Richard Sheward found him guilty and scheduled his sentencing for May 20. Mr. Dye faces up to eight years in prison on the aggravated vehicular homicide charge and six months on the other charge.

        Mr. Dye was convicted of killing Frank Vazquez, 26, as the trooper walked on the berm of Interstate 270 on Nov. 5 to give another motorist a ticket. Mr. Dye's sports utility vehicle hit the cruiser, sending it into the trooper and the car he had stopped.

        Mr. Griffin said Mr. Dye apologized at the hearing to Trooper Vazquez's family members and more than two dozen troopers in the courtroom.

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