Connellsville man guilty of homicide by vehicle
After two days of testimony, a Connellsville man was found guilty of homicide by vehicle by a Fayette County jury on Wednesday.
Jurors determined Jonathan Schroyer, 27, was grossly negligent and reckless when he ran a red light on Route 119 at the intersection of West Blake Avenue in Connellsville Township, slamming into a car driven by 22-year-old David Prah, of Acme. Prah died from blunt force trauma and fractures of his skull and upper ribs.
In closing arguments, Schroyer’s attorney, Ronald Kristobak, implored the jury to consider the totality of the circumstances of the Nov. 29, 2011 crash, and not the 10-second snippet of time immediately before the crash.
Assistant District Attorney Anthony S. Iannamorelli Jr. argued in that 10 second time frame, Schroyer had ample opportunity to see that the light went from yellow to red, and proceeded through the intersection anyway.
Prah’s brother, 24-year-old Brian Prah, said there were no words to express how the verdict impacted his family. “It’s not going to bring David back,” he said.
Schroyer remains free on bond, pending sentencing on Feb. 17 at 2 p.m., before Senior Judge Gerald R. Solomon.