Maryland man charged with homicide, DUI for fatal I-81 crash near McAdoo
By Kaylee Lindenmuth | [email protected]
KLINE TOWNSHIP – A suburban Washington, D.C. man is behind bars at the Schuylkill County Prison after state troopers say he was under the influence of alcohol when he was involved in a crash which killed his passenger on Thanksgiving day near McAdoo.
According to State Police at Frackville, the crash occurred around 6:00am last Thursday, Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, on Interstate 81 in Kline Township.
Leon Charles, 49, of Mount Rainer, Maryland, was headed northbound on I-81 in a 2015 Nissan Versa with a passenger, 48-year-old James Muse, from Glen Allen, Virginia, near Richmond.
The Versa entered the median, rolled, and came to a rest on its driver’s side, troopers said, and both occupants had to be extricated and suffered serious injuries.
Both were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Hazleton by McAdoo EMS and LVHN EMS crews, and both were transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest in Lehigh County. For both, their “safety belt [was] used improperly,” troopers said.
Muse died of his injuries a day later at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest.
Yesterday, Charles was released from the hospital in Lehigh County and was taken into custody on a warrant related to the crash.
Charles was arraigned my Magisterial District Judge David Plachko and committed to Schuylkill County Prison on $500,000 cash bail. He is facing several felony charges, including Homicide by Vehicle While Driving Under The Influence, Aggravated Assault by Vehicle while Driving Under the Influence, and Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury While Not Properly Licensed.
He is also facing drug charges, driving with a suspended or revoked license, reckless driving, and careless driving.
A preliminary hearing will be set at Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer’s Tamaqua courtroom.
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