Vandergrift man charged in woman's death in traffic incident a year ago in Lower Burrell

A Vandergrift man has been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol a year after a woman died when she fell from his moving pickup.

James Jay Jenniches, 52, is charged in the Oct. 5, 2017 death of Michele Kerr , 49, of Leechburg.

Kerr was fatally injured when she apparently fell from Jenniches’ moving pickup at Wildlife Lodge Road and Route 56 in Lower Burrell. She suffered a severe head injury and was pronounced dead at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison.

In court papers, Police said Jenniches told them he and Kerr, who arrived in her own vehicle, argued in the parking lot of the American Legion on Wildlife Lodge Road and that he tried to drive away but she jumped onto the bumper of his truck.

Court papers state Jenniches told police he stopped his truck, at which time he believed Kerr had gotten off of the bumper. He told police, the documents state, that he then drove away toward Route 56.

When he neared the highway, Jenniches told police he heard banging on the roof of his truck and saw that Kerr was standing on the cover over the pickup’s bed.

Jenniches told police he tried to slow the truck but Kerr fell off onto the road.

Witnesses told police they saw Jenniches drag Kerr off to the side of the road and perform CPR on her. According to police, an autopsy report for Kerr concluded she died from blunt force trauma to her head, trunk and extremities as a result of falling from a moving vehicle.

Police say, at the time of the accident, Jenniches did not have a valid driver’s license because it had been suspended for drunken driving in 1991. Police also say Jenniches had two previous citations for driving with a suspended license. Alcohol was involved in both, court papers state.

Jenniches was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec and lodged in the Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of $30,000 bond.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on the homicide and related charges Oct. 16 before Peck Yakopec. In addition to the homicide by vehicle charge, Jenniches is charged with drunken driving, driving with a suspended license, and related charges.

Brian Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BCRittmeyer.