Jurors deliberated for nearly three hours Tuesday before finding Jason Crowell, 24, of Tyrone, guilty of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence. He was also found guilty of DUI and accident involving death while not properly licensed but was found not guilty of furnishing intoxicants to minors.
The charges stemmed from the April 14, 2005, one-vehicle crash along Route 45, Franklin Township, that killed Sharon Reed, 18, of Warriors Mark.
Crowell faces up to 10 years in prison. He will be sentenced following completion of a pre-sentence investigation ordered by Judge Stewart Kurtz.
Reed was ejected through the rear window of the vehicle and the car came to rest on top of her. Also in the car were passengers Duane Day (the owner of the car who was also ejected) and Scott Borgess, Mrs. Reed’s younger brother.
The jury began deliberating shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday and returned a verdict just before 2 p.m. The panel of nine men and three women had been selected Monday in a session of Huntingdon County Criminal Court.
During testimony Tuesday, five witnesses for the commonwealth stated Crowell was the driver at the time of the accident.
Borgess and Day testified he was driving at the time of the crash. Two AMED emergency responders testified Crowell told them he was the driver, with one saying Crowell also said he was not wearing a seat belt. Additionally, the investigating state police trooper, Kenneth Butler, when asked by District Attorney Robert Stewart III what his investigation revealed, stated Crowell was the driver at the time of the accident.
Crowell elected not to take the stand and the defense did not call witnesses.
Tom Forr, Crowell’s attorney, reminded the jury during his closing argument that the defendant is presumed innocent and that guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. He asked the jury to consider the credibility of witnesses.
“Did Scott Borgess have anything to gain or lose by his testimony?” Forr asked.
He pointed to testimony from Tuesday that showed Borgess, Reed and Day were friends but that Crowell was not well known to the brother and sister. He asked the jury to consider who was the friend of Borgess and Reed — Day and not Crowell.
Forr pointed out that the foursome had been drinking and that Borgess and Day said they can’t recall much of what happened the night of the crash as they drove the back roads of the Sinking Valley area.
Forr also pointed out that Borgess admitted he and Mrs. Reed smoked marijuana the day of the crash and admitted the drug was his but said in court he couldn’t remember where he got it.
Stewart told the jury in his closing that Forr had offered only speculation and reminded the jury of the testimony of the two AMED personnel who stated Crowell told them he was driving.
“The person who was driving said so,” Stewart said.
He told jurors that to acquit Crowell they would have to believe that both the AMED medic and the EMT lied. He said Borgess and Day are not “perfect” but said they were believable on the witness stand.
“Just as expected, Borgess wouldn’t tell you where he got it (marijuana),” Stewart said. “But what difference does that make in this case.”
“Sharon Reed was deprived of her life … by this defendant,” Stewart said, adding that when people, alcohol, cars and speed are combined “you end up getting people killed.”
