Sentencing date next month in firefighter wife's death

A Reno man will be sentenced May 27 in the drunken driving death of a Virginia City Foothills woman nearly two years ago.

Jonathan Hyde, 40, is in custody on a criminal contempt charge after allegedly failing a urinalysis exam while on house arrest.

He pleaded guilty in December to being high on marijuana when he struck and killed Kelly Berry as she and her husband, Storey County Firefighter Darin Berry, walked on Toll Road on Aug. 13, 2003.

Kelly, 25, didn't survive her injuries. Darin, then also 25, had a leg fracture.

According to court documents, Hyde had five times the statutory limit of marijuana in his blood and nearly twice the limit of methamphetamine when he careened across Toll Road and struck the newlyweds as they walked home from a trip to 7-Eleven.

Methamphetamine was allegedly found in his backpack following the accident.

Three hours before the fatal crash, Hyde was involved in an accident on McCarran Boulevard and East Manzanita Drive in which he rolled another vehicle. He told police in that incident, a "sneezing fit" caused the accident.

Following the fatal accident, Hyde allegedly told police he was reaching for French fries.

A plea set for early December was delayed because of an unspecified health problem concerning Hyde, who was in the hospital.

Hyde faces two to 20 years in prison.

n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.