Tulsa Man Charged In Fatal Crash, Victim's Wife Speaks Out

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A 22-year-old Tulsa man has been arrested after he was charged on Tuesday with one count of first degree manslaughter stemming from an August 31, 2010, crash on state Highway 11.

The Tulsa District Attorney filed the charges after blood test results on Cody Allen Zimmer were received, police say. Results showed that Zimmer's system contained several medications including the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, muscle relaxer Flexeril and sedative Ambien.

All concentrations were at or above therapeutic levels, and all the drugs come with warnings that they may cause drowsiness and impairment. The Ambien was at three times the therapeutic level. Police also found tablets of the narcotic pain reliever hydrocodone in Zimmer's vehicle.

Tulsa Police say a SUV driven by Cody Zimmer on state Highway 11 crossed the center median and struck a car head-on. 

Charles Kytta III, who was driving the car, was pronounced dead at the scene, and Zimmer was taken to a Tulsa hospital in critical condition.

Cody Zimmer has bonded out of jail.

Read Probable Cause Affidavit On Cody Allen Zimmer

Kytta's wife, Leila, spoke to News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright about her love and loss.

Charles and Leila met while working at a McDonald's on his 17th birthday. She turned 18, 10 days later.

It was love at first sight, and they got married a year later and spent the next 14 years going to college, working, buying a house and having a daughter, Amanda.

3/31/2010 Related Story: Fund Set Up For Family Of Broken Arrow Man Killed In Highway Crash

Leila says Charles was her entire life, her one and only sweetheart. She says Charles kissed her and their 3-year-old daughter goodbye on the morning of August 31st, 2010, and left for work. He was a mile from his job as a Director of Dispatch for Omni Air International, when another driver crossed the center line and crashed into Charles head-on.

Leila says her heart was broken in that moment and has never healed.

She has waited patiently for more than seven months for the blood test results to come back on the other driver. Leila called the police department every Tuesday during that time to check on the case.

Charles was killed on a Tuesday.

She says his friends called him Chuck and his family called him Charlie and he was quiet, reserved and loyal to the end.

She says it's been devastating and is glad the police and DA are taking the time and doing things right.

This is the second time the Kytta family has been affected by an intoxicated driver, Charles' father was killed by a drunk driver in 1998.