Charges added in fatal police pursuit crash
New charges were added in an alleged police pursuit crash that claimed the life of a 22-year-old man.
Christopher Anthony Kemp, 27, of Confluence arrived to his hearing in a wheelchair Wednesday because of injuries he suffered in the crash in Wharton Township.
He is facing criminal homicide and other charges in the Oct. 12 crash that killed Erik James Yanatelli of Farmington. Although criminal homicide is a non-bailable offense, Kemp was freed after a bond petition was filed by his attorney, John Kopas III.
A $100,000 bond was posted on his behalf. Kemp is now on house arrest, according to his Kopas. Kemp was pinned in his vehicle and suffered broken bones during the crash.
A charge of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence and three counts of driving under the influence were added to his charges, along with summary offenses.
A urinalysis completed by the WVU medicine, which was admitted into evidence, showed Kemp was under the influence of marijuana and cocaine the day of the crash.
Kopas argued the lab results should not be admissible because the time of the test was not specified. He said lab results are required to be completed within two hours of the crash.
All of Kemp’s charges were held for the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas by Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr.
Kemp is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, homicide by vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude officers and two counts of reckless endangerment, in addition to his three new charges and 25 summary traffic violations.