Mom charged with DUI in crash that killed toddler

A woman is facing charges in Montgomery County for a September 2023 crash that killed her toddler.

Arbetina Johnson-Lowery, 35, of Norristown, has been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence as the result of a crash in East Norriton around 2:45 p.m. Sept. 30 at Old Arch Road and Johnson Highway.

She was also charged with accidents involving death while not properly licensed, five counts of recklessly endangering another person, and other related charges, 6ABC reported.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they found that a Mazda MPV minivan had crashed head-on into a SEPTA bus that had stopped to unload passengers. She was driving 15 to 20 mph over the speed limit in a 35-mph zone when the crash occurred.

The child was found lying on the backseat floorboard of the vehicle, witnesses said. he was transported to Suburban Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, but later died of blunt force trauma to the head, 6ABC said.

The 14-month-old boy was in a car seat but was not properly strapped in, KYW Newsradio reported.

Johnson-Lowery was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extracted. She was transported to Abington Hospital for multiple injuries, while the SEPTA bus driver was transported to Einstein-Montgomery Hospital and was treated for a knee injury, 6ABC said.

Two empty bottles of Yukon Jack whisky were found in the minivan, along with a Newport cigarette box that contained two partially smoked marijuana joints and a foil

packet of cocaine, both news outlets said.

Both surveillance video and witness accounts placed Johnson-Lowery traveling eastbound on East Johnson Highway when she made slight contact with the rear bumper of a vehicle in front of her, then crashed into the driver’s side of the SEPTA bus, 6ABC reported.

Testing on her blood found methamphetamine, a small amount of alcohol, cocaine and bromazolam — a designer drug similar to fentanyl. Her license was also suspended on Jan. 21, 2023.

On Jan. 5, Johnson-Lowery ended up turning herself in. Her bail was set at $500,000 with a condition of no driving. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5.