Driver found guilty in accident that killed father and son on I-78
A Kentucky man who was driving almost 100 mph when his SUV hit another vehicle and killed a father and son along Interstate 78 in Greenwich Township was found guilty of homicide by vehicle in Berks County Court on Thursday.
Convicted was Christopher Cornelius, 44, of Louisville, whose SUV rear-ended the victims’ vehicle at about 3:30 a.m. on June 29, 2019, near Lehigh County.
The crash killed Nicholas Winter, 56, and his son, Nicolas, 26, both of Auburn, Schuylkill County, who were in the other vehicle.
The verdict came following a four-day trial before Judge James Lillis, with the jury finding Cornelius guilty of two counts of homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, three counts of reckless endangerment of another person and two counts of DUI.
A blood test showed Cornelius had methamphetamine and amphetamines in his system at the time of the accident, prosecutors said.
Cornelius was found not guilty of two counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, one count of aggravated assault while DUI, and another count of DUI.
His sentencing is scheduled for May 24. He has been in Berks County Prison since his arrest.
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, and Lisa Winter, 55, wife of Nicholas, also was seriously injured. She suffered a concussion, fractured vertebrae and a severe cut to her knee and required hospital treatment.
Cornelius was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest. According to troopers: Cornelius was traveling east when his SUV hit the SUV driven by Nicholas Winter in the right lane. Cornelius did not brake before the impact, which sent the Winter SUV over the guide rail and the vehicle rolled down an 80foot embankment.
Nicholas Winter, his son, and the family’s dog were thrown as the vehicle rolled.
The eastbound lanes were closed for several hours while a state police crash reconstruction team investigated.
Both vehicles were towed to the state police station near Hamburg.
A witness said Cornelius had been speeding, switching lanes rapidly without signaling and almost rear-ended another vehicle prior to hitting the Winter SUV.
Upon unloading the Cornelius vehicle into the impoundment lot, troopers discovered two syringes near the steering wheel.
They got a search warrant for the vehicle. The search revealed a biohazard sharp objects container containing multiple used syringes, a small digital scale, cigarette rolling papers and two cellphones.
A check of the airbag control module in the vehicle showed that Cornelius had been driving up to 99 mph immediately before the crash.
Arrest papers indicate that Cornelius is transient, living out of his vehicle.
Three dogs were in the Winter vehicle. One reportedly died at the scene, one was taken to an emergency veterinary center and the other ran off and was found alive three weeks later by the Berks Dog Search group and returned to the family.