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Woman Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Wreck

TAYLOR — The driver who crashed her car into another vehicle in Taylor back in July killing two other women was not only drunk and high on drugs, but she ...

TAYLOR -- The driver who crashed her car into another vehicle in Taylor back in July killing two other women was not only drunk and high on drugs, but she was driving with a suspended license, according to police.

This information is all in court papers that were released Tuesday in Lackawanna County.

Woman Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Wreck

On July 21, police in Taylor said Kim Smith was killed instantly in a wreck on Oak Street in the borough. Her friend and passenger Lydia Riley died a few days later.

Since then, the utility pole on Oak Street has been replaced, flowers were laid at the spot, and the crash is still fresh in the minds of many people there.

"It was horrible, horrible, and they couldn't get the one woman out. They had to leave her there and just cover her with a blanket. Then they took the car away with her in it," said Josephine Wandalowski of Taylor.

Wandalowski was at her home on 3rd Street when the cars collided. She says since that day, many of her neighbors have been wondering what would come for the driver who caused the wreck.

Prosecutors had to wait for the results of a toxicology test before arresting the driver, Sherry Hubert of Taylor, on Saturday.

Police said when Hubert crashed her car she was high on marijuana and had a blood alcohol level almost three times over the legal limit.

"She may not have thought when she left her house that she was going to do that. But, you should never leave your house when you are drunk and high. So, she deserves to be punished," added Wandalowski.

According to court papers, Sherry Hubert told police she was purposefully going 95 miles per hour down Oak Street because she was trying to jump the hills. And, she didn't see Kim Smith's Ford until this intersection.

Prosecutors learned later that Hubert had already been charged with DUI and was driving with a suspended license when the crash occurred.
 
Lackawanna County Assistant District Attorney Bob Klein says it was all those factors that lead prosecutors to charge Hubert with third degree murder.

"Anytime you have the facts involved in this case, nothing good can come from it. The fact that life is so uncertain, the fact that you have people who were just headed to the store and they never came home," Klein said.

Sherry Hubert has been locked up since Saturday at the Lackawanna County jail. Bail was set at $50,000 dollars. Hubert is expected back in court on Monday.

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