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  • Doctor Faces Numerous Charges In Fatal Turnpike Accident

    Motorcyclist Struck Dead In Northern Allegheny County

    POSTED: 6:40 am EDT September 4, 2008
    UPDATED: 7:47 am EDT September 5, 2008

    A doctor is accused of hitting and killing a motorcyclist with his car on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in northern Allegheny County after leading police on a high-speed chase early Thursday morning.

    Pennsylvania State Police said the motorcyclist -- Keith Brown, 46, of Green Bay, Wis. -- was struck near mile-marker 33 in Pine Township at about 5 a.m.

    Police said the driver who hit the motorcyclist is Shiva Lal Acharya, 33 (pictured below). Trooper Robin Mungo of the Pennsylvania State Police says Lal Acharya, who is a medical doctor from Illinois, ran from the crash scene. Mungo also says Lal Acharya's troubles began hours earlier when Ohio police tried to pull him over for speeding.

    "The suspect appeared as though he was going to stop. But after a mile and a half he increased his speed hoping to elude the patrolman. They reached speeds up to 130 mph before the officer called off the 23-mile pursuit at the state line," Mungo said.

    Mungo told WTAE the doctor never slowed his BMW down and instead made one bad decision after another, ending with the death of an innocent man.

    "It's surprising when anyone leaves a scene. No one should ever leave the scene of a crash no matter what type of degree you have," Mungo said.

    But in this case, police said the degree may have mattered because the man who should by law have rendered aid is a man who makes a living saving lives.

    Following the crash at about 4:10 a.m., Lal Acharya ran into some nearby woods and was located after 8 a.m. following a search that included several police agencies on the ground and a helicopter above the area, police said. When he was arrested, police say Lal Acharya was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and no shoes, with visible head and leg injuries. He was taken into custody on several charges, including homicide by vehicle, hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident and other traffic violations.

    Investigators said Lal Acharya had been on his way to Easton, Pa., for a job interview.

    Eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike were closed and traffic was detoured until 8:42 a.m. because of the fatal crash.

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