A Lower Macungie Township motorist faces state prison in a crash in which a bicyclist suffered fatal injuries in 2021.

In a news release dated Dec. 16, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced Anthony Michael Rutch, now 52, pleaded guilty Nov. 4 to charges of accidents involving death or personal injury and homicide by vehicle.

The charge of accidents involving death or personal injury is a felony of the second degree. Homicide by vehicle is a felony of the third degree.

Rutch was sentenced to serve four to 17 years in state prison for the death of Alexander Zarnas in 2021 in a hearing Dec. 13, according to the news release.

Rutch, it was reported earlier, surrendered to authorities in September 2022.

At the time of his surrender, charges against Rutch also included involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, careless driving and reckless driving, according to court documents available online at that time.

The news release detailed the crash as follows:

“At 5:06 p.m. March 9, 2021, Pennsylvania State Police were called to a report of a bicyclist struck by a car in the 6600 block of Mountain Road in Lower Macungie Township. The car, described as a black sedan with front end damage, did not remain on scene.

“The bicyclist, identified as Zarnas, 36, died from multiple blunt force injuries and his death was ruled accidental by the Lehigh County Coroner.

“Witnesses told troopers that at the time of the crash, they saw a black sedan driven by Rutch leave the scene and return to his home on Rittenhouse Road. The car had front-end damage consistent with the crash.

An investigation revealed Rutch was driving the sedan when he struck Zarnas.”

News coverage at the time of the accident in 2021 described Zarnas as cycling westbound on Mountain Road when his bicycle was struck from behind by a black car.

The vehicle continued westbound, according to news reports at the time. A motorist who witnessed the crash called authorities.

According to his obituary, Zarnas was an alum of Parkland High School and Bloomsburg University. He was a partner in Lehigh Valley Insurance Brokers.