DUBOIS – Homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence charges were filed Friday against an Ohio man for a fatal accident in December of 2018.
John J. Levanduski, 51, of Richfield, Ohio, was also charged by state police with aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle, DUI and four traffic summaries.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, police were called to the one-vehicle accident Dec. 7, 2018 at 11:39 p.m. along state Route 255 in Huston Township.
The vehicle, driven by Levanduski, reportedly left the roadway, went off the berm, struck a tree with its front passenger side and spun clockwise before stopping.
The passenger, Levanduski’s brother Kenneth, still in his seat, was deceased, when police arrived.
John Levanduski had to be mechanically extricated from the vehicle and was flown to UPMC Altoona for treatment.
A relative of the men at the scene told police that prior to the crash they were all at the Penfield Fireman’s Club where they were drinking.
This witness said that after the victim got into a disagreement with someone at the club, he stated he was going to walk to a hunting camp.
Because Levanduski was also leaving, he said he couldn’t let his brother walk and offered to drive him back to the camp, the witness stated.
The victim’s cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma from a motor vehicle crash after an autopsy, police said.
Medical records revealed that Levanduski’s blood alcohol content was 0.160 percent, according to the report.
Levanduski is not currently in police custody, according to online court documents, and no date for a preliminary hearing has been set yet as the case is currently listed as inactive.