Driver Charged With DUI In Fatal Hit-Run Of Teen In Hatfield Township
HATFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) – A driver has been arrested and is facing several charges in connection with a hit and run crash that fatally injured one teen and left another teen with a broken elbow.
Sarah Ann Derstein is facing Homicide by Vehicle While Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and other charges in connection with the incident that occurred on Route 309 in Hatfield Township on April 26th.
According to investigators, Derstein was driving on Route 309 when she struck two teenagers walking on the shoulder of the road. One of the teens, 15-year-old Dennis Kee, was catapulted over the guardrail and landed in a field 10-15 feet from the roadway. Kee was rushed to Lehigh Valley Medical Center, but was later pronounced dead. (See Related Story)
A second teen, Deshawn Page, suffered a broken elbow.
Investigators say Derstein drove away from the scene, but returned to the area of crash nearly an hour later and told an officer that she hit something on Route 309.
Officers then spoke with Derstein and suspected that she had been drinking alcohol. Derstein was taken to Abington Lansdale Hospital to provide a blood sample. Lab tests revealed that Derstein's Blood Alcohol Content was .167, which is more than twice the legal limit in Pennsylvania.
A search warrant inside her car revealed marijuana inside a cigarette pack.
The investigation revealed that Derstein consumed multiple alcoholic beverages prior to the crash, and was reading a text message at the time of the crash.
"You had her leaving the bar after five hours, text messaging back and forth with someone while she was driving and ironically the subject matter of the text messages was her being on her way to meet the person who supplies her with marijuana," DA Risa Ferman explained.
Derstein is facing charges of Homicide by Vehicle While Driving Under the Influence, Homicide by Vehicle, Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury, Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While Driving Under the Influence, Driving Under the Influence, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Unsworn Falsification to Authorities, Possession of Marijuana, and related traffic summaries.
Her bail was set at $100,000 dollars cash.
