WILKES-BARRE -- Rebecca McCallick, 19, was struck and killed by a vehicle on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre back in July. On Thursday, a district judge ruled there is enough evidence against the driver accused of hitting her then driving off.
However, for the first time, we heard that the victim was actually lying in the street the night she was killed.
The family of McCallick kept their distance from Daniel Loughnane as he left a magistrate's court in Wilkes-Barre. Police believe he is the man responsible for a July hit-and-run on Hazle Street in Wilkes-Barre that killed the King's College sophomore.
At his hearing Loughnane's ex-girlfriend testified the accused told her "Lets just say some Joe Schmoe was driving a truck and a girl was laying in the middle of the road and he ran her over. Wouldn't you say she was trying to commit suicide?"
McCallick's boyfriend, John Schenck, testified the victim was having bad dreams in the early morning hours of July 24. McCallick's boyfriend said she woke up, came out into the street and laid down. He said she wouldn't get up even after he begged and warned her she would get hit by a car.
He said a truck caught her legs, bounced up and down like a speed bump and made a noise. Schenck later identified the accused's truck as the one involved in the incident.
However, the investigator said none of the victim's DNA was found on that truck. A forensic pathologist also said there were traces of marijuana in the victim's system.
Now Loughnane's attorney wants to know why the victim's manner of death was never ruled a suicide.
"I think that there should be an absolute coroner's inquest into this matter. It's a disgrace that a coroner's inquest wasn't requested previously," said Peter Paul Olszewski, Loughnane's attorney.
Prosecutors said the evidence places Loughnane at the scene and that McCallick didn't want to die.
"I know that there are a lot of allegations here that she possibly was trying to commit suicide, but it is our belief that she did not intend to commit suicide that night. He left the scene. That's the bottom line here," said Stefanie Salavantis, Luzerne County District Attorney.
Her family was extremely emotional in court Thursday morning. According to investigators, the last words McCallick said to her boyfriend before she died were "nobody loves me" and "last chance."
Loughnane faces one count of accidents involving death or personal injury. He's due back in court in March.