W. Homestead man pleads guilty to DUI crash that killed friend

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Rodney Steele and three friends drank at four bars in the hours leading up to the early morning of Feb. 14, 2016.

As Mr. Steele, 25, of West Homestead, traveled east on the Parkway West in his Cadillac CTS at 3:34 a.m., police said, he failed to negotiate a turn on the Fort Pitt Bridge, striking a barrier and injuring himself and his three friends.

One of those passengers, Kaitlyn Kearns, 22, of Irwin died more than seven months later, on Sept. 28, 2016, as a result of complications from a head injury suffered in the crash.

State police determined Mr. Steele had been traveling 80 mph at the time of impact and charged him in May of last year.

Tests later showed his blood alcohol content — as determined from a sample drawn about an hour after the crash — was 0.17, or more than twice the legal limit for driving.

Mr. Steele pleaded guilty Tuesday to homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence and related charges. As part of a plea agreement, he will be sentenced June 11 to 18 to 36 months of incarceration followed by 10 years of probation.

During his plea hearing before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning, Mr. Steele addressed Ms. Kearns’ family, including her mother, Kelly Thompson.

“Mrs. Thompson, I’m so sorry for everything I’ve caused you and your family,” he said. “I know words will never show how sorry I am, but this is something I will have with me every day for the rest of my life.”

Mr. Steele said he plans to reach out to friends he and Ms. Kearns shared to make them understand the ramifications of his actions.

As he spoke, Ms. Kearns’ younger sister, Madilyn Thompson, and Mrs. Thompson nodded, and Mrs. Thompson spoke the words, “Thank you.”

Ms. Kearns graduated from Woodland Hills High School. She was a pre-med chemistry major at the University of Pittsburgh, worked at Burgatory and taught dance.