Joseph Kay with wife Rachel Kay was a former volunteer firefighter with the Plumsteadville Fire Company. He died in a tragic accident June 2, 2025. (Credit: Plumsteadville Fire Co.)
A Bucks County judge on Thursday sentenced Colin John Wahlers, 26, to three to six years in state prison for a drunken, high-speed rollover that killed his passenger, Joseph W. “Joey” Kay, 35, a former Plumsteadville Fire Company volunteer firefighter and sprint car driver.
Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey L. Finley also imposed six years of concurrent probation and ordered that Wahlers is ineligible for early-release programs, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Wahlers entered an open guilty plea to homicide by vehicle while DUI, fleeing or attempting to elude police, and related offenses.
Colin John Wahlers, 25, of the unit block of Paige Trail, PerkasieThe case stemmed from the early-morning hours of June 2, 2024, when a Hilltown Township officer attempted to stop an unregistered 2019 Polaris Ranger on Mill Road. Investigators said the driver fled, reached more than 65 mph in a 40-mph zone on Green Street, and lost control while turning onto Rickert Road.
The utility vehicle flipped and landed on its side; Kay was ejected and died at the scene. A blood draw taken around 2:12 a.m. put Wahlers’ blood-alcohol content at 0.195 percent, more than twice the legal limit, authorities said.
During Thursday’s hearing, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Bukowski played dashcam and body-worn camera video showing Officer Kevin Godfrey’s brief pursuit and the aftermath. As the officer rendered aid to Kay, the footage captured Wahlers saying, “Hell of a way to end a Saturday night,” prosecutors said.
Finley, before imposing sentence, noted the “devastating” impact on Kay’s wife, parents, siblings, friends, and the wider community, echoing emotional victim-impact statements delivered by family members.
“Joey was my pride, my joy, my purpose. Joey was what made my heart beat,” his mother told the court, her voice thick with pain. “In an instant his life was stolen, and it was stolen by a drunk driver.”
Bukowski read a letter from Kay’s father, who condemned Wahlers’ conduct as “a selfish, reckless, irreversible choice.” Though Wahlers offered a statement apologizing to the victim's family and friends, the damage was irreversible.
Court records and prior testimony detailed the lead-up to the crash: the Ranger rolled through multiple stop signs, weaved on Mill Road, and briefly left the roadway near Crossroads Tavern before the attempted right turn at Rickert Road.
A later mechanical inspection found no defects that contributed to the wreck. Investigators also concluded the machine is designed not to exceed 15 mph unless the driver’s seat belt is latched; Wahlers had fastened the belt behind him to bypass that safety feature, according to the criminal complaint and the DA’s Homicide by Vehicle Unit.
The crash was investigated by Hilltown and Plumstead police with the District Attorney’s Homicide by Vehicle Unit.
Kay, of Hilltown Township, was remembered as a dedicated first responder and racing enthusiast who competed in sprint cars. He was named “Firefighter of the Year” in 2012.
He was an experienced electrician alongside his father, and was Vice President for John W. Kay Electrical Contractors, of Richboro.
His family asked the court for the maximum penalty and described an irreplaceable loss.
According to his obituary, Kay loved driving his 1991 Jeep along the river with his wife Rachel and their dogs, Coopy and Lucy, for Sunday coffee. He was a Mid-Atlantic Racing Sprint Series fan favorite as he took the wheel of his #12 Sprint Car on the racetrack.
Kay is survived by his wife of 3 years; his parents John W. and Susan (Quigley) Kay; in-laws, Pam and Steve Salera; and brother-in-law Peter Salera and grandfather Jack Kay. He is also mourned by his 3 devoted sisters and their spouses: Shannon A. Rittenhouse (Corey), Lauren A. Etter (Jon), and Megan K. McBride (Dennis) and 8 eight cherished nieces and nephews: Carson, Callum, and Sloane Rittenhouse; Landon, Garrett, and Charlotte Etter; and Bridget and Sean McBride.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kay’s name to the Plumsteadville Fire Company 5064 Stump Rd, P.O. Box 405. Plumsteadville, PA 18949.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
