Seven months after a crash in Chestnuthill Township that killed a man, state police arrested the driver and charged him with homicide by vehicle while driving impaired.
State police arrested Robert P. Steinmetz, 39, at his home Wednesday and charged him with driving under the influence of prescription painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs.
The May 11 crash occurred when his Chevrolet Lumina crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic on Route 209 near the Chestnuthill Diner and collided with a Dodge sedan driven by Dale William Dennis, 48, of Bartonsville.
Both men were seriously injured and the road was closed for several hours as emergency crews cleared the scene and police investigated. Dennis was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital where he died two weeks later of his injuries. Steinmetz was also flown to the hospital.
While being treated, a blood test was ordered on Steinmetz. The results came back May 30 and indicated his driving was impaired by prescription painkillers and anti-anxiety medication. According to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday, Steinmetz had the painkiller Oxycodone in his blood, as well as anti-anxiety drugs Diazepam, Nordiazepam and Temazepam.[/B] Investigators believe these drugs contributed to Steinmetz driving into oncoming traffic and led to the Dennis' death.
The head-on crash that killed Dennis was the second similar accident in less than two weeks for Steinmetz. Eleven days before, he was involved in another accident in Chestnuthill Township.
The 1994 Honda Civic he was driving on McIlhaney Drive crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a Jeep driven by Grace Marks of Saylorsburg, a legislative assistant for state Sen. Patrick Browne, R-16.
Marks was flown by medical helicopter to an area hospital after that crash and Steinmetz suffered minor injuries, police said. There's no record that Steinmetz was cited in the crash with Marks.
State police arrested Steinmetz at his home on Wednesday and he was arraigned before Pocono Pines Magisterial District Court Judge Richard Claypool, police said.
Steinmetz was taken to county jail on $75,000 bail and charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, DUI and other charges. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month.
