Charges advance against woman accused in DUI crash that killed Eagle pressman
SLIPPERY ROCK — A Beaver County woman visited three bars before a fatal crash on Route 422, according to state police testimony at her preliminary hearing Wednesday, Dec. 13.
All charges were held over to the Butler County Court of Common Pleas in the case of Kassandra M. Clyde, 25, of Fombell, Beaver County. She was charged in October with homicide by vehicle while DUI in connection to the death of James Barge, of New Castle, who was on his way home from his job at the Butler Eagle when he suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
Clyde was additionally charged with felony aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, misdemeanor DUI, and summaries careless driving, failure to stay in the proper lane and disregard of a traffic lane.
The May crash occurred days after Clyde requested the expungement of a previous DUI case after she completed the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.
Court records show Clyde applied for early termination from ARD supervision on April 18, and it was granted April 19. Her penalty was considered satisfied in February after the completion of litter pick up in November 2022. She submitted a petition for expungement on May 2.
State trooper Michael Banachoski was the only witness to testify Wednesday before District Judge Joseph J. Nash. Banachoski said the crash occurred at 1:15 a.m. May 4 near the intersection of Route 422 and Unionville Road in Franklin Township, near the Big Butler Fairgrounds.
When Banachoski arrived at 1:26 a.m., he found Barge’s red Toyota Camry and Clyde’s silver Honda CRV had come to rest side by side. Barge had been declared dead by medical personnel, he said.
Clyde was found in the passenger seat of her vehicle, as she was unable to exit from the driver’s side, he added.
“As I began to approach the vehicle, she exited it on her own accord,” he said. “I observed her to be standing still and swaying … She was unable to hold a steady gaze.”
He further testified a strong odor of alcohol was emanating from Clyde, and she exhibited signs of impairment through slurred speech and glassy eyes.
Clyde received further medical treatment for a leg injury in the back of an ambulance, Banachoski said, and it was there he performed field sobriety tests on her.
Clyde did not complete the tests, he added.
“Miss Clyde began crying; she asked if the other driver was OK,” he said. “She began to experience mood swings … At one point, she looked out the window of the ambulance and was almost ignoring what I was saying.”
According to Banachoski, Clyde disclosed consuming three drinks prior to driving, and said she did not know what happened in regard to the crash. She was then taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for further treatment and agreed to submit to a blood test around 3:20 a.m.
The results of the test showed Clyde’s blood alcohol content at 0.179%, Banachoski said. He also served a warrant for the BAC results from blood drawn from Clyde at 2:57 a.m., and said her blood alcohol content at that time was 0.243%.
Banachoski said other troopers who investigated the case found Clyde had visited three New Castle bars the evening of May 3: Town and Country Bar and Grill, the Branding Iron Bar and Grill, and Kelly’s Side Door Tavern.
Surveillance footage from Kelly’s showed Clyde’s car entering the parking lot at 4:57 p.m. and leaving at 11:57 p.m., according to Banachoski.
Banachoski said surveillance footage from a nearby business captured the events before the crash. He said Barge’s vehicle was traveling west on Route 422.
“As it crosses the intersection of Unionville Road at Route 422, it is met by the later (identified) Honda CRV,” he said.
He added that the stretch of Route 422 where the crash occurred is two lanes, with a turning lane separating them. Clyde told police she was traveling to her home in Fombell, which is in the opposite direction from where the crash occurred.
During cross examination, defense attorney Michael Zunder asked Banachoski about his note taking methods when performing field sobriety tests, as well as if Clyde had injured her head or neck in the crash.
Banachoski said Clyde did not report any head or neck injuries.
At the conclusion of testimony, Nash ruled the prosecution had met its burden, and moved all charges to the county Court of Common Pleas.
