CLEARFIELD – A Patton woman was found guilty of hitting a grandmother and granddaughter while driving under the influence of drugs.
Bobbi Jo Morgan was found guilty of two counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI, two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of homicide by vehicle, and two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The verdict came in after the jury deliberated for a little more than an hour on Wednesday afternoon. As the verdict was read members of the Kitchen family wept, while Morgan appeared calm.
Morgan’s trial began on Tuesday morning, with testimony wrapping up before noon on Wednesday.
Witnesses testified that on July 25, Morgan ran off of state Route 35 in Mahaffey, struck and killed 63-year-old Bertha Kitchen and her 3-year-old granddaughter with her vehicle.
Morgan admitted to police that she was on her way home from a methadone clinic. Tests showed that she had methadone and diazapam in her system.
According to Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr., Morgan will get a mandatory minimum of 6 years in state prison on the two counts of vehicle homicide while DUI. He said the maximum sentence is up to the sentencing judge.
“I felt we had a reasonable case going into it,” said Shaw.
“It’s a troubling case,” said Shaw. “It’s an example of the havok that heroin is wreaking on this society.”
Methadone is often used to treat heroin addiction.
“It’s a shame what happened here all around,” added Shaw.
Morgan will be sentenced within 90 days and remains in Clearfield County Jail until that time.
