A Cheswick driver faces trial for a hit-and-run death of an East Vandergrift man. The Pennsylvania motor vehicle accident occurred on Wildlife Lodge Road in March 2012. A resident of Wildlife Lodge Road witnessed the aftermath of the tragedy when hearing a loud “thud” outside, while he was watching TV at around 9:15 p.m.

The witness testified at a recent hearing that he and his wife looked out, seeing a man, obviously injured, lying in the street. As soon as the witness ran outside, he found the victim “unconscious and bleeding.” Although he saw no vehicles, the witness observed various automotive “debris” on the road.

Unfortunately, the victim died the next day at a Pittsburgh-area hospital, where he was transported with serious injuries. The deceased was staying with a friend in Lower Burrell at the time of the roadway tragedy.

A police investigation determined that the road debris matched parts from an E-150 Ford van. Confirming their belief was surveillance footage from a nearby camera displaying a Ford van near the accident scene around 9:16 p.m. This evidence led police to a Cheswick plumbing company, where they found the damaged van. The driver charged in the hit-and-run accident had use of that vehicle.

Further cementing their circumstantial case, police testified that a GPS system in the van confirms that it was on Wildlife Lodge Road around 9:15 p.m. when the tragedy happened. A district judge determined that the weight of available evidence warranted a trial as all original charges had relevance in light of police findings to date.

Such a tragic accident has likely left a hole in the lives of the deceased man’s family. While nothing can be done to bring that person back, a civil lawsuit may provide compensation that will make it easier for them to move forward. A personal injury attorney can help determine if it is a plausible endeavor.

Source: Valley News Dispatch, “Cheswick man faces trial in hit-and-run death,” Chuck Biedka, April 6, 2012