Smithfield man charged
A 49-year-old Smithfield man who allegedly struck and killed a Washington man with his pickup truck in July will face charges of vehicular homicide and involuntary manslaughter, according to police. Robert “Bob” Quarrick, 49, of 150 Blackhill Road, also was charged in city court with reckless driving and speeding Tuesday in the July 27 death of Victor Cavazos, police said.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Allegheny County Detective Robert Keenan, the accident occurred when a Chevrolet pickup truck operated by Quarrick struck a refuse truck owned by Waste Management, causing Cavazos, 40, to become pinned between the vehicles at 6:26 a.m. on Scenery Drive in Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County.
Keenan said after Cavazos was freed from between the vehicles, he was taken to Jefferson Regional Hospital in Jefferson Hills, where he was pronounced dead.
Officials from the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office ruled the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the trunk and legs as a result of the collision.
County officials also discovered that Cavazos was wearing a green shirt with reflective material when the crash occurred. Keenan said the garbage truck was equipped with flashing lights that were in use at the time of the accident.
According to Keenan, investigators determined Quarrick was traveling between 38 and 40 mph and that he had about 500 feet of sight distance when the crash occurred.
Keenan also noted a 58-foot skid mark coming from the right front tire of the pickup truck.
Police said Quarrick was interviewed by investigators at Jefferson Regional Hospital following the crash and told police he did not remember what he was doing before the collision but looked up just prior to the crash and slammed on the brakes.
Keenan also reported that an unidentified eyewitness stated that the pickup maintained a “steady speed” and did not try to maneuver around the garbage truck prior to the crash.
Police said Quarrick was not under the influence of alcohol.
Quarrick was taken into custody Tuesday and arraigned in the Allegheny County Jail, Pittsburgh.
He works as a shipper for Camp Hill Corp. in Pittsburgh, a steel tubing manufacturer, police said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 22 before Elizabeth Township Magisterial District Judge Ernest L. Marraccini.