An Elkhart man will spend the next eight years in prison after crashing a stolen car while under the influence last year in Cass County.

29 year-old Cody Kleitz pleaded guilty to operating under the influence of controlled substances causing death, and a first-degree charge of fleeing the police. The crash last October killed a friend of his who was in the passenger seat.

Leader Publications reports that Kleitz will serve two concurrent prison terms, and other charges were dismissed. He fled from police in Nappanee and reached speeds up to 100 m.p.h. in the stolen vehicle before crashing into a tree off Old 205 near Edwardsburg, and taking off on foot.

Both he and the victim, Adrian Smith, had been using meth.