WILKES-BARRE, PA — A legal conclusion was reached in Luzerne County Court on Tuesday as a man admitted to the intentional killing of a motorcycle rider during a violent encounter in 2024.
Louis Max Weihbrecht entered a guilty plea to a charge of homicide in connection with the death of 47-year-old Mark Svadeba. As part of a plea agreement reached with the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, all other pending charges against Weihbrecht were dismissed.
The fatal crash occurred on North Main Street in Plains Township. According to investigators and court records. Police determined the incident was not an accident. Surveillance footage captured Weihbrecht using his Chevrolet Silverado to strike Svadeba while the victim was on his motorcycle. Investigators alleged that after the initial impact, Weihbrecht backed up and ran over Svadeba a second time before fleeing the scene. Prosecutors previously indicated the two men had a history of disputes, primarily involving a shared female acquaintance.
Svadeba was transported to a local hospital following the crash, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Friends and family remembered the 47-year-old as a talented mechanic with a "beautiful smile" who was well-known in the local community for his kindness and his passion for motorcycles.
With the guilty plea entered, the case now moves toward sentencing. Court officials have not yet announced the specific date or the recommended term of incarceration.