Man guilty of drunk driving, other charges awaits sentencing
Drunk driving laws have changed a great deal over the last thirty years. With programs like MADD and SADD and more attention being drawn to the problem of drunk driving, rarely is there leniency for people who are arrested for the crime. We know that most drunk driving arrests do not end in accidents, but when they do they can be extremely bad. One man from Westmoreland County has found that out the hard way today when he was found guilty of several charges after an accident he caused while drunk resulted in the death of a friend and twenty-year veteran fireman. The 29-year-old man was charged Monday morning with driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with the accident that killed the manager of the Rostraver West Newton emergency services ambulance on 22 February 2015. He was arraigned on multiple criminal charges filed by PA State Police, including vehicular homicide, vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, reckless driving, driving at an unsafe speed, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident. State police say that the man was the driver of a southbound 2012 Dodge Ram truck that crashed shortly after 3 a.m. near the Dear Creek and Lowber Roads intersection. Authorities the victim, who was the former chief and president of the Yukon fire department, was a passenger in the suspect’s vehicle. It is reported that the vehicle slid off the road and hit a utility pole. According to the criminal complaint filed by PA State Trooper Joseph Lauricia, the suspect and the victim were drinking before the crash for nearly three hours at the Lowber Firemen’s Club. Witnesses at the bar said that the driver drank five bottles of beer and two shots of tequila before leaving. The bartender told police that the driver offered the victim a ride home because he was going to walk and it was icy, cold, and snowy. If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Pennsylvania, call Pittsburgh DUI lawyer Gary Gerson to discuss your legal options. He can be contacted via email by clicking here, or call 412-219-6875 today for a free consultation.
