Man Charged with Homicide by Vehicle While DUI in Deadly Clarion County Crash Due in Court Tomorrow

| July 9, 2018

CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) – A Corsica man who is facing charges stemming from a crash that resulted in the death of a Clarion County woman last year is due in court on Tuesday.

According to court documents, a preliminary hearing for 28-year-old Wayne Andrew Wilson, Jr., of Corsica, is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, with Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill presiding.

Wilson faces the following charges:

– Homicide By Vehicle While Driving Under The Influence, Felony 2
– Homicide By Vehicle, Felony 3
– Involuntary Manslaughter, Misdemeanor 1
– DUI: Controlled Substance – Schedule 1 – 1st Offense, Misdemeanor 1
– DUI: Controlled Substance – Schedule 2 or 3 – 1st Offense, Misdemeanor 1
– DUI: Controlled Substance – Metabolite – 1st Offense, Misdemeanor 1
– DUI: Controlled Substance – Impaired Ability – 1st Offense, Misdemeanor 1
– Fraud Alter/Forge/Counterfeit Title Registration Insurance, Misdemeanor 1
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
– Operating Vehicle W/O Required Financial Responsibility, Summary
– Duties At Stop Sign, Summary
– Driving at Safe Speed, Summary
– Careless Driving – Unintentional Death, Summary
– Reckless Driving, Summary
– Failure to use safety belt – driver and vehicle occupant, Summary

Wilson had been lodged in the Clarion County Jail following his preliminary arraignment on June 12; however, on June 26, Judge Schill decreased Wilson’s bail from $75,000.00 to $25,000.00.

A surety bond was posted by a professional bondsman, and Wilson was released from the Clarion County Jail on June 27.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, around 6:10 a.m. on October 31, 2017, Trooper Lauer, of the Marienville-based State Police, was dispatched to the scene of a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of State Route 208 and Sunny Road in Washington Township, Clarion County.

Upon his arrival, Trooper Lauer found fire and EMS services already on the scene and observed the two vehicles involved. One of the vehicles, a Mercury Montego, was in the middle of Route 208 facing west while the other, a Chevrolet Spark, was facing west in the eastbound lane of Sunny Road. Trooper Lauer also observed a fair amount of debris from both vehicles on the right side of the eastbound lane of Route 208, which he determined to be the point of impact.

Trooper Lauer was then informed by fire personnel that the driver of the Chevrolet, identified as 44-year-old Kami Dinger, of Fryburg, was deceased and was still inside the vehicle. Trooper Lauer then located the driver of the Mercury, identified as Wayne Wilson, in the back of an ambulance.

While at the scene of the crash, Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Services and a Crash Reconstructionist were requested to analyze and process the scene. Trooper Butler of Forensic Services arrived and photographed the scene and Trooper Manno of the CARS Unit performed a reconstruction of the crash.

At 7:30 a.m. on October 31, 2017, Clarion County Chief Deputy Coroner Randall Strom pronounced Kami Dinger deceased at the scene of the crash. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to her neck, as determined by an autopsy, the complaint states.

Interview with Wilson

Around 6:35 a.m. on October 31, Trooper Lauer interviewed Wilson at the scene of the crash.

According to the complaint, Wilson stated that he had stopped at the stop sign and saw headlights coming east on State Route 208. He said that he thought the vehicle was going to make a right turn onto Sunny Road. At that time, he pulled out onto Route 208 and the two cars collided.

Trooper Lauer noted that Wilson was visibly upset, and when asked if he saw a turn signal, he did not answer the question. When asked a second time, he stated that he did see a turn signal from the other car, according to the complaint.

Trooper Lauer also noted that Wilson appeared to have red, bloodshot eyes.

Blood Testing

According to the complaint, Clarion County District Attorney Mark Aaron was contacted regarding the crash, and he advised that Wilson should be asked to voluntarily consent to a blood draw.

The complaint states that Wilson agreed to give blood, and he said there was nothing in his system. Wilson was then transported to Clarion Hospital by Clarion Ambulance Service.

At the hospital, Trooper Whisner again requested a voluntary blood draw from Wilson and Wilson consented. The blood sample was drawn at 8:50 a.m. and taken to PSP Marienville to be entered into evidence.

According to the complaint, Wilson’s blood sample, which was sent to the NMS Labs for analysis, returned positive for controlled substances, including 5.9 ng/ml of DELTA-9 THC, 4.0 ng/ml of 11-Hydroxy Delta-9 THC, and 1.5 ng/ml of Buprenorphine in his blood.

Inspection of the Vehicles and Crash Reconstruction

On November 8 and 9, Trooper Manno performed inspections of the Mercury and the Chevrolet and observed the inspection certificate on the Mercury to be tampered with and altered from a June 2017 expiration date to a December 2017 expiration date. A check of the insurance coverage for the Mercury showed it was canceled on June 1, 2017, for non-payment.

Trooper Manno observed a small tan handbag labeled “DIME BAGS,” a phrase known to be affiliated with drugs, in the back seat of the Mercury. He also observed the right front turn signal bulb from the Chevrolet showed no stretching of the filament, also called “hot shock,” that would indicate the signal was in use at the time of the crash.

Trooper Manno also downloaded the airbag modules from both vehicles.

A reconstruction report from Trooper Manno determined the Mercury was speeding at a minimum of 49 miles per hour in a posted 35 mile per hour zone seconds before the crash. The report states that the Mercury slowed but failed to stop at the stop sign and passed by it at a minimum of 36 miles per hour before braking hard prior to the impact. The Mercury was traveling between 10 and 11 miles per hour at the point of impact, and the Chevrolet was traveling at a minimum of 60 miles per hour prior to braking hard and swerving right, the complaint indicates.

Based on the investigation, Marienville-based State Police filed criminal charges against Wilson on June 11 in Judge Schill’s office.

Wilson was arraigned and jailed on June 12.


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