Police Searching for Clarion Man Involved in DUI Crash That Left Woman Injured

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published March 15, 2018 5:10 pm
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Police are searching for a Clarion man who is wanted on a felony arrest warrant.

Chief William Peck IV, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, issued a release on Thursday indicating that authorities are searching for 30-year-old Steven Richard Rosher, of Clarion.

1:21 a.m. on December 11, 2017 — Clarion Borough Police Attempt Traffic Stop

According to a criminal complaint, around 1:21 a.m. on December 11, 2017, Officer Maxwell observed a silver GMC station wagon driving west on Main Street at First Avenue in Clarion with only one headlight illuminated. The vehicle also made a very wide turn crossing the double yellow line into the oncoming lane as it proceeded north on First Avenue. The vehicle was traveling at an unsafe speed, given the conditions, and Officer Maxwell pulled out behind it and turned on his emergency lights and sirens to signal the vehicle to stop. Then, the vehicle increased its speed, continuing north on First Avenue.

Officer Maxwell notified OES (Office of Emergency Services) that the vehicle was refusing to stop. The vehicle failed to slow down on reaching the first turn going down River Hill. Officer Maxwell saw its backend slide out and strike the guardrail. He lost sight of the vehicle as it went around the curve, but as he approached the curve, he could see it on its roof in the middle of the road.

Vehicle Crashes on River Hill

OES was notified that the vehicle had crashed and requested EMS and the fire department. He exited his cruiser and withdrew his duty weapon and approached the vehicle. He could not see anyone inside but heard a moan coming from behind him. He found a female on the ground, up over the berm and under the guardrail. The female was later identified. She was conscious and did not have any major signs of external injury. Officer Maxwell told her to stay still and notified OES that she had been ejected from the vehicle. He stayed with the woman until EMS arrived. He noted that she smelled strongly of alcohol.

Officer Foust arrived at the scene and blocked the north side of State Route 322 ahead of the accident. Pennsylvania State Police also arrived.

Driver, Passenger Flown to Pittsburgh Hospitals

A bystander on the hill yelled down to police, stating that there was another victim on the opposite side of the road. Officer Foust located a white male, later identified as Steven Richard Rosher, on the side of the road. Rosher was motionless but breathing. EMS arrived on the scene, and both individuals were transported to the Clarion University Stadium, where they were flown by helicopter to Pittsburgh trauma hospitals.

Clarion OES informed Officer Maxwell that Rosher had an active arrest warrant for flight to avoid apprehension out of Clarion County.

All lanes of Route 322 were shut down during this incident with the assistance of the fire department and PennDOT. There was a large amount of debris that had been ejected from the vehicle, a large portion of this debris consisted of glass bottles of Bud Light, broken on the roadway and strewn around the crash area. Several of these items were collected as evidence. Pictures were taken of the scene and measurements of the vehicle’s position were taken.

The scene was cleared and the vehicle towed by Mark’s Auto. The road was reopened for travel around 2:35 a.m.

December 11, 2017 — Warrants Served for Hospital Records

On December 11, 2017, Officer Wright and Chief Peck went to the City of Pittsburgh and applied for two search warrants for the medical records for Rosher and the known female crash victim. The warrants were served at two Pittsburgh hospitals, and both sets of records were provided.

Chief Peck and Officer Wright then went to Rosher’s room and spoke to him. Chief Peck observed Rosher was awake and alert; he was wearing a neck brace and said that he had a broken shoulder and problems with his neck.

Rosher Interviewed by Chief Peck and Officer Wright

Chief Peck asked Rosher what happened the night of the incident. Rosher stated that he did not remember anything about the accident and that he did not even remember being flown by helicopter to Pittsburgh. Chief Peck asked Rosher to go backward from the accident on what he could remember. Rosher said he and his girlfriend were at a friend’s house in Oakwood Trailer Park on South Fifth Avenue. They left that location and were driving out of Clarion, and that’s the last thing he could remember. Chief Peck asked Rosher where the known female was seated in the vehicle, and he said the front passenger seat.

Rosher said that “he wasn’t going to lie and that he just wanted to get this over with.” Rosher stated that he was driving the vehicle. Chief Peck informed Rosher that there were beer bottles all over the roadway, and asked him if he had been drinking prior to the accident. Rosher stated that he had four or five beers at his friend’s trailer prior to the accident. His medical records indicated that his blood-alcohol level at the time of testing was .279%. He also tested positive for cocaine in his system.

December 28, 2017 — Female Passenger Interviewed at Clarion Borough Police Station

On December 28, 2017, around 4:25 p.m., the passenger involved in the incident came to the Clarion Borough Police Station to talk to officers about the incident. She filled out a written statement, which stated that on the night of the crash, she was talking to Rosher about getting a tattoo done. She said Rosher stated that if she came to Clarion, he would do it for her. She left Titusville and drove to Clarion at that point. She said there were issues with the stencils they were going to use for the tattoo, so they could not be done right away. They had some time to kill, so Rosher said that he wanted to go to a bar in Knox. She told police that she told Rosher that she was not 21, but Rosher said it was not an issue, and the place he was going to take her would not card her. She said that they had a couple of drinks. They had some issues with other patrons there, so they went to another Knox bar.

She told police after they had a couple more drinks, and she told Rosher she was not comfortable with driving and asked if he would drive. Rosher agreed to drive. She said she told Rosher, “DO NOT wreck this car.”

According to her written statement, one of the last things she remembered was being in the passenger seat of her car, with Rosher driving, and telling Rosher to slow down. She said she remembered being life-flighted to Pittsburgh sometime after that, but that is all she could recall.

March 9 — Charges Filed Against Rosher

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Rosher on March 9 at Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office:

– Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Officer, Felony 3
– Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Misdemeanor 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2
– Acc Involving Death/Injury-Not Properly Licensed, Misdemeanor 2
– Disorderly Conduct Hazardous/Physical Offense, Misdemeanor 3
– Sell/Furnish Liquor Etc Minor, Misdemeanor 3
– DUI: General Impairment/Incompetent of Driving Safely — 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
– DUI: Highest Rate of Alcohol (BAC .16+) 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
– DUI: Controlled Substance — Combination Alcohol/Drugs — 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
– Scatter Rubbish Upon Land/Stream Etc, Summary
– Driving While BAC .02 or Greater While License Susp, Summary
– Driving W/O A License, Summary
– Careless Driving, Summary
– Reckless Driving, Summary
– Disregard Traffic Lane (Single), Summary (two counts)
– Fail To Keep Right, Summary (two counts)
– Driving at Safe Speed, Summary
– No Headlights, Summary

March 15 — Police Ask for Public’s Help in Locating Rosher

Anyone with information on Rosher is asked to contact Clarion Borough Police at 814-226-9140 or contact your local police department.

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