Uniontown woman faces homicide charges in crash
A Uniontown woman accused of fleeing the scene of a fatal crash in May was charged Friday with criminal homicide, homicide by vehicle while DUI and 21 other charges.
A vehicle operated by Krystal Kathryn Darnell, 33, crossed the double yellow line near Grandview Terrace on Morgantown Road in South Union Township at 6:15 p.m. May 3, striking another vehicle.
Linda L. Lewis, 76, of Uniontown, a passenger in the second vehicle, died at the scene, state police in Uniontown said. The driver, Bernard D. Lewis, 77, of Uniontown, was flown to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Joshua Fazenbaker, a witness, told state police that he approached Darnell’s vehicle, and she was shouting, “Don’t call the cops.” Fazenbaker said he saw another man help Darnell out of the vehicle, and she left in another vehicle, police reported.
Joseph Malarich told police he used a hammer to break out a window to assist Darnell and that she requested a ride away from the crash scene because she had outstanding warrants for her arrest, according to court paperwork.
When police later located Darnell at her home at 201R E. Church Ave., she allegedly asked, “Did I kill that person?” according to court paperwork.
Kathryn Stump, Darnell’s mother, told police that Darnell uses fentanyl and has been a heroin user for around 12 years, according to the criminal complaint. Stump told police that the first thing Darnell said when she came in the door after the crash was, “I killed someone, Mommy,” the complaint states.
Darnell’s blood analysis results revealed she had cocaine, benzoylecgonine and fentanyl in her system a day after the crash, according to court paperwork.
Cpl. Todd Stephenson, supervisor of the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit for State Police Troop B, estimated Darnell was driving between 52 and 60 mph prior to the crash. He estimated Lewis was driving about 35 mph prior to braking, and played no contributing role in the crash, police reported.
In addition to criminal homicide and homicide by vehicle while DUI, Darnell faces 21 charges including aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, accidents involving death, involuntary manslaughter and flight to avoid apprehension.
She is in Fayette County Prison without bail. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 20.