Dunbar teen charged in fatal crash on Route 381 near Mill Run
State police accused a teenage driver of being legally drunk when he crashed head-on into an SUV on Route 381 in Springfield Township in August, killing the other driver the night before her 66th birthday.
Seth David Moore, 17, of Dunbar Township, was charged Thursday with felony counts of third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault by vehicle in the Aug. 1 crash that killed Rejeanne Menard of Youngwood.
Police said Moore was driving south on Route 381 approaching Mill Run shortly after 9 p.m. when he passed three other vehicles in the northbound lane, with one driver telling investigators that he went “flying past” her on the highway. One of the drivers witnessed Moore’s car crash head-on into a northbound SUV at a high rate of speed, which collected a third vehicle in the wreck, according to court documents.
Surveillance cameras from a nearby house in the 600 block of Mill Run Road captured sound of the collision and showed Moore’s vehicle coming to rest in the frame of the video.
Menard, who was the driver of the SUV that was struck head-on by Moore’s vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Fayette County coroner’s office.
Troopers found several alcohol containers on the side of the roadway close to Moore’s vehicle, although a front-seat passenger in his car, who was not seriously injured and able to talk to investigators, said they had not been opened.
Moore was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment, while a passenger in the rear seat of his car was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Children’s hospital for unspecified injuries.
A blood draw taken from Moore at the hospital showed he had a blood-alcohol level .073%, which is above the .02% legal limit allowed for motorists under the age of 21.
In addition to the felony counts, Moore is facing six misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, along with driving under the influence.
Moore was arraigned Thursday morning by District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr. and released on $100,000 unsecured bond while he awaits his preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 14.