Suspect in fatal Rostraver Township crash on I-70 waives hearing
Jacob Posey is accused of driving 118 mph in the March 16 accident.
A Fayette City man accused of driving more than twice the speed limit on Interstate 70 and causing a crash that resulted in the death of an Allenport woman waived his preliminary hearing Monday.
Jacob M. Posey, 23, will face arraignment in September on charges of homicide by vehicle and several vehicle violations in connection with the March 16 crash that killed Tori Demo, 25.
State police said Posey’s Ram 2500 pickup was traveling at 118 mph when it struck Demo’s Toyota Camry, which rolled over multiple times and caught fire. Witnesses told police they saw Posey’s pickup speeding on Harmony Church Road and the highway before it struck Demo’s vehicle. Witnesses also said they attempted to retrieve Demo from her vehicle, but they were unable to before it burst into flames.
One witness told police that the pickup truck and car were traveling in the left lane, and the truck was quickly approaching Demo’s Camry from behind. The vehicles collided when Demo moved her car to the right lane and Posey tried to pass in the right lane, according to the criminal complaint.
According to the criminal complaint, police said Posey didn’t check on Demo at the site of the crash. Posey told police wasn’t sure how fast he was going, estimating 70 mph. He also said the Toyota cut him off and pushed him into the guardrail. Posey was not injured in the crash.
Posey had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday before Magisterial District Judge John Christner in Rostraver Township.
Posey’s attorney, Scott Avolio, said the preliminary hearing was waived “in order to go forward and see what information will be provided regarding the case.”
“It’s a tragic situation at this point,” Avolio said. “We’re just in that investigation stage for defense, and (we) want to evaluate all that occurred that resulted in this tragic accident.”
Posey was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond July 5.
A formal arraignment for Posey is scheduled for Sept. 4 at 8:30 a.m. before Westmoreland County Judge Christopher Feliciani.
