Pittsburgh-area man convicted of killing slow driver in New Year's Eve road rage shooting
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) — A jury found a Westmoreland County man guilty of shooting and killing a woman after he got mad at her for driving too slowly on New Year's Eve, prosecutors announced on Friday.
A jury convicted 29-year-old Anthony Hairston of third-degree murder, tampering with evidence and drug and firearm offenses in the 2022 death of 59-year-old Holly Vadella.
According to authorities, Vadella was driving home from seeing her mother when Hairston got behind her on Rostraver Road. Prosecutors said Hairston became upset because Vadella was driving too slowly and he was trying to get to a bar in Rostraver before it closed.
Witnesses testified that Hairston fired two rounds as he passed Vadella, killing her. Police said she was later found dead in her car.
The criminal complaint said Hairston drove away after the shooting and was at the bar minutes later.
Before delivering their guilty verdict on Thursday, jury heard three days of testimony and deliberated for more than two hours.
"From the beginning, this incident was an act of senseless and unprovoked violence. I hope this verdict offers some peace to the family of Holly Vadella. I thank the jurors for their time and consideration in this case," Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said in a press release.
After Vadella's death, California University of Pennsylvania released a statement saying Vadella had been a clerk-typist for 10 years and was a valued member of the school's family.
Hairston will be sentenced in three months.