HANOVER TOWNSHIP – A man accused of driving nearly 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit and crashing into a sedan on the Sans Souci Parkway in 2011 is expected to face trial on seven charges, including homicide by vehicle.
Inside a district magistrate’s courtroom in Hanover Township Wednesday morning, Kevin Allen, 35, gave up his right to a preliminary hearing in connection to the August 2011 crash that killed Edward and Dorothy Skwirut of Naticoke.
Allen didn’t answer any questions about the crash but offered an apology to the Skwirut family as he left the hearing, while using a cane.
“I feel bad for the family,” said Allen. “I really do.”
Hanover Township police first accused Allen of driving 67 MPH at the time of the crash, but an officer testified that new crash reconstruction data determined that Allen’s pickup truck was traveling 73 MPH in a 45 MPH zone when he collided with the sedan.
Authorities said Allen was hauling nearly 1,000 pounds of concrete mix in the back of his pickup truck at the time of the crash; nearly 300 pounds more than the vehicle’s listed hauling capacity.
Defense attorney Basil Russin told Newswatch 16 that Allen was trying to start a summer project for his family at the time of the crash and that he’s still recovering from his own injuries.
"He was on his way home with concrete bags from Lowe’s, to put a concrete patio in at his home in the middle of the day. It’s just unfortunate for the victims and unfortunate for him,” said Russin. "He was telling me with this cold weather, it's been excruciatingly painful. He has difficulty sleeping. He's living with this and will live with this for the rest of his life."
Allen is scheduled to appear before a Luzerne County judge on the charges connected to the deadly crash in April.