A Mt. Pleasant man has been charged in connection with a violent one-car accident in which one of his passengers was killed.
Scott M. Leighliter, 24, was driving north on School Street in the borough at a high speed when he lost control, striking two utility poles, then rolling over and striking a tree, police said. The accident occurred on March 9.
Both Leighliter and one of his passengers were ejected.
The rear passenger, Corey Moximchalk, 27, of Mt. Pleasant was pronounced dead at the scene. Leighliter and another passenger, Patrick Marshala, 27, of Mt. Pleasant were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals.
During a police interview, Leighliter said he and his two passengers were at the Bridgeport Club Gun Bash that day. He said that when the event ended at 5 p.m., they left to go to the Slovak Club. Leighliter told police he entered a curve on School Street near Rumbaugh Elementary School but couldn't remember what happened afterward.
He recalled being ejected from the vehicle, he told police. He said he was briefly unconscious on the road. When he awoke, he ran over to his car, where Marshala was still seated on the front passenger side.
Leighliter said he found Moximchalk lying on the road, across the street from the crashed car, he said.
When police interviewed Leighliter at the scene, he said he had five to six beers before the crash. Marshala told police he thought Leighliter had 10 to 20 drinks and had been speeding. He told police that just before the car went airborne, he had asked Leighliter to slow down. Leighliter's blood-alcohol content was between .095 percent and .107 percent, police said.
An analysis and reconstruction report concluded that excessive speed and intoxication of the driver were “causal factors” in the crash, police said.
Leighliter also is charged with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, DUI, aggravated assault by vehicle, recklessly endangering another person, disregarding a traffic lane, driving at an unsafe speed, exceeding maximum speed limit, careless driving and reckless driving.
Charges were filed with District Judge Roger Eckels. A relative of Leighliter posted property for his $50,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 19.
Nicole Chynoweth is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-850-2862 or nchynoweth@tribweb.com.
