PITTSBURGH -- A 22-year-old ambulance driver will stand trial on charges she was drunk and speeding when she crashed into a car, leaving two people dead in Marshall Township.

Three other people were injured in the crash, which happened early on the morning of Sept. 23 on Route 19 at Brushcreek Road.

At Shanea Climo's preliminary hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors said the suspect's blood-alcohol level was below the legal limit of 0.08 percent when she was tested about an hour after the crash.

But they argued that she was probably legally drunk when the crash happened, based on the testimony of a doctor who performed a blood analysis at the Allegheny County crime lab.

Defense attorney Stephen Misko suggested that the other driver may be to blame.

"Because if they're saying that she's impaired, his reaction was certainly impaired with a 0.067 (blood) alcohol level. Maybe that's the reason he didn't yield the right of way to her when she entered the intersection," Misko said.

Douglas Stitt, 38, of Mercer, and Phillip Bacon, 31, of Sharpsville, were in the car that collided with the ambulance. The medical examiner said both died of head injuries.

Police said Climo was transporting a 90-year-old patient and was speeding with the ambulance lights turned on, but not the siren, when the vehicles collided.

Climo, of Evans City, is charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, involuntary manslaughter and several traffic offenses.

---

Related Links:
More County News

Get RSS | E-Mail Alerts

---