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Homicide trial under way in Waynesburg

By Josh Krysak 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Opening testimony in the jury trial of a 35-year-old Mather woman charged with vehicular homicide began Wednesday in Greene County Court. Angela Lynn Jacobs was charged with vehicular homicide and ordered to stand trial in a preliminary hearing in October 2004 before Greene County Magisterial District Judge Lou Dayich for the 2003 death of Edward Muscavitch of Clarksville.

Jacobs was also charged with careless driving, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person and operating an unregistered vehicle and without vehicle insurance.

According to the criminal complaint in the case, on Nov. 18, 2003, Jacobs struck and killed motorcyclist Muscavitch at the intersection of Route 188 and Ice Box Road in Jefferson Township.

Muscavitch was pronounced dead at the scene by Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis at 5:04 p.m., about 45 minutes after the initial call to 911.

An autopsy performed by Allegheny County Coroner Cyril Wecht revealed the cause of death to be cranial and cerebral injuries.

Wednesday, in a crowded courtroom, Jacobs sat stoically while her defense attorney Harry Cancelmi cross-examined witnesses for the prosecution.

Investigating officer Kenneth Konek testified Wednesday that Jacobs told officers at the scene that the Toyota Tacoma she was operating started to bounce and didn’t slow as she tried to stop for Muscavitch, who was stopped along Route 188, preparing to make a left turn onto Ice Box Road.

Konek said Jacobs attempted to slow the truck by downshifting, but could not get the vehicle stopped in time, swerving to the left in an attempt to go around Muscavitch.

Konek said Jacobs was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

An inquest conducted in August by Greene County Coroner Gregory Rohanna and held before District Justice Neil Canan supported charges of homicide.

Gary Filbey, who lives at the corner of Route 188 and Ice Box Road, testified Muscavitch had come to a stop along Route 188 and was waiting in the westbound lane with his turn signal on to turn left onto Ice Box Road.

Filbey testified that Muscavitch was waiting for two vehicles headed east on Route 188 before making the turn.

That was when Filbey said he noticed a black pickup truck approaching the intersection and could foresee what was about to happen.

According to Cpl. Douglas L. Bartoe, a collision reconstruction specialist with the state police at Washington, Jacobs was traveling between 44 and 48 miles per hour at the time of impact.

Bartoe said Jacobs could have seen the Harley-Davidson for 424 feet before the collision site and that the road was posted 40 mph just before the last turn where the crash occurred.

Additionally, Bartoe and investigating officer Kenneth Konek both testified the Toyota Tacoma pickup driven by Jacobs was not inspected, was not insured and was in general disrepair.

According to the state Department of Transportation, about 40 crashes occurred along Route 188 in the area of the fatal collision between 1997 and 2001.

The crash occurred near the Jefferson-Morgan High School.

The trial will continue today before Greene County Judge William Nalitz.

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