Police sort strange facts surrounding death

Eric Timlin rode dirt bikes and snowmobiles for thrills, and this same quest probably led him to join a friend who wanted to try out a brand new SKS Russian assault rifle, his father said.

'He was a fun loving kid,' Anthony Timlin said of his son, whose body was found early Sunday in a vehicle that the friend, Bryan D. Driscoll, was driving in Baldwin Borough.

'He was a thrill seeker,' the Whitehall man said of his 24-year-old son. 'Why they do those crazy things, I don't know.'

And authorities still don't know why Timlin died.

Anthony Timlin said his son and Driscoll, 20, of Oakleaf Drive, Whitehall, were at the Timlin residence on Brownsville Road on Saturday night before going out for a few beers.

Authorities are trying to determine why Eric Timlin's body was found on top of an assault rifle, on the passenger seat next to Driscoll, at about 5 a.m. Sunday in a vehicle suspected of fleeing from a one-vehicle crash.

Other than having asthma, Anthony Timlin said his son was in excellent health. So the mystery of how Timlin died may not be known until the results of toxicology tests are available, authorities said.

'A lot's going to depend on the toxicology results,' said Baldwin Borough police Chief Chris Kelly. 'That's for both (Driscoll and Timlin).'

The accident occurred shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday along Streets Run Road near Brentwood Road in Baldwin. A witness told police the late-model Mitsubishi stuck a guardrail before the car drove away toward Hays.

The men were later pulled over by a Baldwin officer after they were spotted in a moving vehicle without headlights and with moderate damage to its passenger side, police said.

Inside the vehicle owned by Driscoll, Timlin had the SKS assault rifle under him. Timlin was upside down in his seat with his feet on the dash, his head against the door and without a pulse.

Timlin was later pronounced dead at the scene. Neither man was wearing a seatbelt, police said.

The only injuries visible on Timlin was a minor cut at the base of his skull, Kelly said.

'Driscoll is claiming that Timlin was driving when the car impacted the guard rail,' said Kelly, noting Driscoll stated he then switched seats with Timlin before police pulled over the vehicle.

The SKS 30-caliber assault rifle holds 30 rounds and was loaded when police found it, Kelly said.

Five spent casings were found near a street light at Willet Road and Gary Drive where a witness reported hearing five shots fired. The street light was not damaged, Kelly said.

Driscoll told police he owned the gun but county police are verifying gun ownership.

'There was no indication of drug use at all,' Kelly said.

According to county homicide Sgt. Tom Glenn the initial autopsy findings showed that Timlin had not suffered any injuries that would have been consistent with a collision.

Driscoll was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an accident. Driscoll was arraigned in night court Sunday and released on his own recognizance.

A preliminary hearing was set for 1 p.m. Jan. 16 before District Justice John Bova of Baldwin Borough.

Driscoll was cited by police previously with leaving the scene of an accident Oct. 21 after he was linked to property damage in the borough's Elm Leaf Park area.

No parking signs, bushes and lawns were damaged about 3:30 a.m. Oct. 21, police said. Driscoll's car was found abandoned, damaged and had to be towed from the scene.

Driscoll, a cable installer for AT&T, had only been to the Timlin home twice before and the pair were not close friends, Anthony Timlin said.

The younger Timlin worked for a division of Jennison Manufacturing Group as a machinist at Jennison Precision Machine Co. on Arch Street in Carnegie.

Company owner Thomas Beattie said Timlin had worked at Jennison for six years and was in his third year of a four-year apprenticeship to become a journeyman machinist.

'He was a very talented young man,' Beattie said. 'He was very good at what he did. He got along with every one in the shop here very well.'

Visitation will be held at Slater's Funeral Home, 4201 Brownsville Road, Brentwood, from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday and 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Wednesday.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at Slater's. Burial will be at Jefferson Memorial Park in Pleasant Hills.

Paul Nutcher can be reached at pnutcher@tribweb.com or at (412) 306-4535.