BEAVER, Pa. -- A Beaver County man accused of trying to beat a train to a Monaca railroad crossing has been found guilty of vehicular homicide for the crash that killed his passenger.
Judge John Dohanich said Jayson Hatton, 39, of Center Township, will be sentenced Aug. 7.
Witnesses said a pickup truck swerved around a closed crossing gate on 14th Street on April 3, 2008, and was struck by a train. Jesse Kownacki, 29, of Baden, was killed in the collision.
"The things were down for the train, and I heard the horn. Truck came down that way out, beat the train. Train just got the back of it and whooped it," neighbor Frances Curtis told WTAE Channel 4 Action News at the time.
In addition to vehicular homicide, Hatton was found guilty on charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and drunken driving.
Copyright 2009 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
