HIGHLAND TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A Shippenville man has been charged with Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While DUI and related offenses regarding a crash that occurred on January 6, 2018.
According to court documents, on Thursday, July 18, 2019, the following criminal charges were filed against 35-year-old Jed Allen Beichner, of Shippenville:
- Aggravated Assault By Vehicle While DUI, Felony 2 (two counts)
- DUI: General Impairment/Incompetent of Driving Safely — 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
- DUI: High Rate of Alcohol (Bac.10 — <.16) 1st Offense, Misdemeanor
- Simple Assault, Misdemeanor (two counts)
- Disregard Traffic Lane (Single), Summary
- Careless Driving, Summary
- Careless Driving — Serious Bodily Injury, Summary
- Restrictions on Alcoholic Beverages, Summary
- Failure to use safety belt — driver and front seat occupant, Summary
The charges stem from a crash involving Jed Beichner that occurred around 2:25 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2018, on Miola Road, Highland Township, Clarion County. A Chevrolet 2500 pickup truck, driven by Beichner, left the roadway and hit a tree head-on, leaving Beichner and two passengers seriously injured.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Trooper Berggren, of Clarion-based State Police, on January 6, 2018, at 2:28 a.m., he was dispatched to a crash on Miola Road, about 1/4 mile south of Sawmill Road.
When Trooper Berggren arrived, Beichner was in the back seat of a vehicle that had stopped for the collision. Two passengers in Beichner’s vehicle were being treated by EMS personnel to be flown to a Pittsburgh hospital due to the severe injuries they received in the collision.
According to the complaint, the pickup was traveling south on Miola Road and slowly started to drift left and crossed into the northbound lane. It then left the roadway on the east berm then struck a tree with the front of the vehicle.
When Trooper Berggren looked inside the vehicle, he saw a broken beer bottle and a beer can. The driver’s seatbelt was locked in position which indicated it was not being used.
Trooper Berggren spoke with Beichner at the scene. He asked Beichner if he had been drinking, and he said “yes.” Trooper Berggren could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage being emitted from Beichner, the complaint states.
Beichner was taken from the scene to Clarion Hospital. Blood was drawn from him shortly after he arrived at the hospital, and then he was also flown to a Pittsburgh hospital due to his severe injuries.
Two passengers from the crash interviewed on July 17, 2018:
The first passenger who was interviewed stated that as a result of the collision, he suffered numerous head injuries, a smashed orbital, and a torn spleen. His nose also had to be reconstructed.
The second passenger who was interviewed stated that “all passengers including the driver Jed Beichner were “*@#!-faced.” He stated that Beichner was drinking a mixed drink earlier in the day when he came to pick him up. Then, they went back to Beichner’s residence to drink alcohol and at some point in the night, they traveled to a known bar. As a result of the collision, he suffered a broken jaw, a broken neck, and a broken back. In addition, he has a plate in his chin, and he lost several teeth.
Search warrant granted for Beichner’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) following crash:
On November 7, 2018, Trooper Berggren applied for and was granted a search warrant at Judge Timothy Schill’s office. The medical records showed that Beichner had a BAC of .108% at the time of the test.
Beichner arraigned, awaiting preliminary hearing:
Beichner was arraigned at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 19, 2019, in Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office.
He is free on $25,000.00 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on August 13 with Judge Schill presiding.
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