Jury clears man in fatal DUI crash

Dennis Scot Thompson Jr. of Coatesville acquitted on homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle charges

The driver of a car that flipped on its side, killing one passenger and seriously injuring another, was found not guilty of vehicular homicide charges by a Common Pleas jury Friday.

Dennis Scot Thompson Jr. was acquitted on charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, separate counts of homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault by vehicle, and selling liquor to minors.

The jury, who heard the case in Judge Anthony Sarcione’s courtroom, deliberated about six hours on Thursday and another six hours on Friday before returning with its verdict. It had reported being deadlocked around noon Friday, but Sarcione directed the panel to continue their deliberations.

The jury found Thompson, 38, of Coatesville guilty of driving under the influence.

Killed in the 2014 crash was a teenager, Joseph Robinson, who died as a result of closed-head injuries suffered in the incident. Injured was a then-14-year old girl, a runaway from Lancaster County, who suffered a broken neck, a fractured spine, fractured ribs and a broken pelvis, according to the criminal complaint filed by South Coatesville Officer Salvatore Cracchiolo.

The girl testified that she and Robinson had met Thompson the night before the crash at a Coatesville bar, the Midway, and began drinking alcohol with him, even though both were underage at the time. She said Thompson took them in his car, and drove them around the area outside Coatesville before stopping to get marijuana, which they all smoked.

Police responding to the scene found numerous cans of Olde English malt liquor in the car wile investigating the crash. The girl said that Thompson had been drinking

the beer while driving the car just moments before the crash, details of which she could not remember.

But Thompson, who took the stand in his own defense, told the jurors that he had not met the two teenagers until moments before the crash, which he blamed on Robinson. He said that he had left his home that morning and was driving to work when he came upon the two in the middle of the road, with Robinson apparently suffering some sort of seizure. He agreed to take the pair to a hospital, but at some point became suspicious of them and asked them to leave the car.

They refused, and as he drove on he said he saw Robinson deliver a blow to the back of his head with a blunt object, causing him to lose control of the car.

Thompson admitted that he had been drinking in the hours before the crash. His blood alcohol level was determined afterwards to be .17 percent, more than twice the legal limit. A blood test also determine he had marijuana in his system.

According to Cracchiolo’s complaint, the crash occurred around 5 a.m. on Dec. 19, 2014, on Modena Road north of Union Street in South Coatesville. He stated that when he came upon the scene, a white 2004 Nissan was overturned on the roadway, blocking both lanes.

Investigators from the Chester County Serious Crash Assistance team (SCAT) determined that the Nissan had struck a guardrail before crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic and then going up and embankment, striking several trees before flipping over and coming to rest on its roof.

Robinson was found inside the car, dead when police arrived. The young girl was taken by ambulance to Paoli Hospital for treatment. She was later interviewed by Cracchiolo, and stated that Thompson had been driving the Nissan when the crash occurred.

Thompson was discovered by a firefighter from Modena Fire Company who had responded to the crash, about a mile away near Overhill Road. He was suffering from head injuries and smelled of alcohol according to the complaint. He was also transported to Paoli Hospital for treatment, and acknowledged that he was the driver of the car and that he had two passengers with him when the crash occurred.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Thomas Ost-Prisco and Assistant District Attorney Samantha Ryan. Thompson was represented by defense attorney John Pavloff of Kennett Square.

“We respect the jury’s verdict, and we appreciate the time they put into this difficult case,” said Ost-Prisco after the verdict.

Thompson will be sentenced on the DUI charge at a later date.