Charges Filed In South Side Pedestrian-Motorcycle Accident
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An underage man has been charged with drinking and driving in a crash that badly hurt two people. It happened on Pittsburgh's South Side back in April. Now, criminal charges have been filed.
Twenty-year-old Giovanni DeMarzo, of Pittsburgh, is accused of riding his motorcycle while drunk and hitting a pedestrian near where East Carson Street intersects with South 12th Street. Police said not only was that pedestrian badly injured, but DeMarzo's passenger was injured as well.
On April 21, DeMarzo allegedly lost control of his motorcycle.
"Him and his passenger went on the ground, and his passenger was just lying there on the ground," witness Justin Bonno said. "[The driver] got back up. He was wearing a helmet."
Bonno told KDKA-TV News he saw DeMarzo picking his motorcycle back up, restarting it and trying to get away, until an undercover officer stopped him.
Police said DeMarzo's passenger told them she ran into him at Carson City Saloon and DeMarzo asked her to go for a ride. When she asked if he had been drinking, he said he had not.
The passenger said DeMarzo offered her his helmet, but after they started driving, he stopped and asked her to give it back because the wind was bothering his eyes.
Police report she had cuts to her face and needed surgery on her ankle after the crash.
"The passenger was thrown from the motorcycle and was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The pedestrian that was hit was also transported to the hospital in stable condition," said Alicia George, Pittsburgh Public Safety Spokeswoman.
According to police, the pedestrian was an Uber and Lyft driver who stopped at Jack's bar to pick up some beer after he was done driving for the night. Officers said he had bruises and cuts to his leg, knee and back.
DeMarzo was taken to a local hospital to be checked out after the crash. He later agreed to a breathalyzer test and was found to have a blood alcohol content level of .163.
The District Attorney's Office cameras are also said to have captured the crash and that video evidence is expected to be used in court.
These charges were just filed on Friday, May 18. DeMarzo has not been arrested yet or turned himself in.