Man Facing Homicide Charges After Crashing Into Service Station, Killing One
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RAYNE TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man is facing a number of charges after he allegedly crashed into an Indiana County service station while drunk Thursday, killing one person.
State Police were sent to the intersection of Routes 119 and 85 in Rayne Township, Indiana County, around 1:30 p.m. Thursday for a report of a vehicle crash and structure fire.
According to officials, 33-year-old James Eugene Brown was driving a Subaru Outback station wagon north on Route 119 when he went off the road, crashed into a curb and went across the parking lot of the Pikel's Top Tier Fuels service station. The vehicle crashed into two fuel pumps before finally hitting the station building.
Both the vehicle and the building caught fire.
First responders found 52-year-old Melissa Ann Myers, of Comodore, Pa., dead inside the building. Myers was an employee of the service station. The cause of death has not yet been released.
Troopers found Brown at the scene. He was taken to a local medical center, where he was treated and released. Upon further investigation, troopers found that Brown was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Brown is facing a number of charges, including homicide by vehicle while DUI and driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked.
Another man fled the scene of the crash. He was later taken into custody in Puxsutawney. According to police, he was a passenger in the station wagon at the time of the crash. He was released from police custody and is not facing any charges.
