Whitehall man wanted on vehicular homicide and DUI

Whitehall police on Sunday evening issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of homicide for a drunken car crash in December.

Tyler Jesse Degraffenreid, 24, of Baldwin Borough, crashed a Honda Accord on Dec. 15, causing his girlfriend, Victoria Rose Verscharen, to launch from the car and die, according to a criminal complaint.

Mr. Degraffenreid is charged with two counts of homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence of a controlled substance and other charges.

Investigators say Mr. Degraffenreid was driving 101 mph in a 35 mph zone on Brownsville Road and crashed in the 4600 block. The accident occurred when Mr. Degraffenreid spotted an animal in the street and accidently hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, according to the criminal complaint.

The car rolled and launched Ms. Verscharen, who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, out of the moon roof and into the corner of a home. The force of the impact split her in half near the waist, according to the complaint. Her upper torso was found in the home’s bushes, while her lower torso was discovered at the corner of the house. Mr. Degraffenreid was wearing his seat belt and was found by police suspended upside-down in the driver’s seat.

When police discovered Mr. Degraffenreid, they smelled a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, according to the complaint. A blood analysis showed Mr. Degraffenreid tested positive for alcohol with a reading of 0.205 BAC.

Court records show Mr. Degraffenreid was charged with a DUI on Jan. 12; in 2016, he was charged with public drunkenness.