Man facing trial in fatal DUI crash
LOWER PROVIDENCE » A Lehigh County man must answer to charges in Montgomery County Court that he was speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly caused a twovehicle crash in Lower Providence Township that claimed the life of the second driver, a Chester County man.
Devon Michael Lindeman, 23, of the 3400 block of Cambridge Circle, South Whitehall Township, was ordered to stand trial, after a preliminary hearing before District Court Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar, on charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, recklessly endangering other persons, DUI, speeding and careless and reckless driving in connection with the Sept. 18, 2021, fatal crash in the 400 block of South Park Avenue in Lower Providence.
The crash claimed the life of 63-year-old Paul E. Conaway of Chester County and severely injured two passengers in Conaway’s vehicle, according to court papers.
Lindeman, who remains free on $25,000 cash bail, faces a Feb. 2 formal arraignment hearing on the charges in county court. Lindeman had to surrender his driv-
er’s license as a condition of bail and is prohibited from driving while awaiting trial.
Under state law, a conviction of a charge of homicide by vehicle while DUI can carry a mandatory three-year prison term.
During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Meghan Carney presented the testimony of Lower Providence Police Officer William T. Arthur as well as a witness to the crash to show sufficient evidence to move the charges to trial.
Defense lawyer Gail Nicolina Marr represents Lindeman.
The investigation began about 11:45 p.m. Sept. 18 when Lower Providence police responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash with injuries on South Park Avenue near Falcon Road. Arriving officers determined a twovehicle crash occurred involving a 2021 BMW operated by Lindeman and a 2017 Infiniti QXSO operated by Conaway, according to a criminal complaint filed by Arthur.
Conaway was transported to Einstein Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. A subsequent autopsy determined Conaway died of multiple blunt impact injuries sustained in the crash.
A 56-year-old female front seat passenger and a 23-year-old female rear seat passenger in Conaway’s vehicle were transported to Paoli Trauma Hospital where they were treated for serious injuries. Two female passengers in the Lindeman vehicle declined treatment at the scene but sought treatment later that evening at Lehigh Valley Hospital.
Lindeman was uninjured in the crash.
The investigation by township police and county detectives determined Lindeman’s vehicle was proceeding northbound on South Park Avenue and crossed the center line of the roadway by more than five feet, directly into the path of Conaway’s southbound vehicle, “which caused the driver side front of each vehicle to have a violent impact within the southbound lane of travel,” according to the criminal complaint.
Data from the BMW’s airbag control module showed that the car was traveling at 68 mph in a 40 mph zone at the time of the impact. Authorities said the Conaway vehicle was traveling at 39 mph.
A subsequent blood test determined Lindeman had a blood alcohol content of 0.104% which is more than the legal limit of 0.08%, according to the arrest affidavit.
Investigators alleged the cause of the crash was directly related to the combination of Lindeman’s level of impairment as well as the speed and manner in which he was operating his vehicle.
“The nature of this crash and forces exchanged within the crash support the findings that Devon Lindeman was operating his vehicle at an excessive speed under intentional heavy acceleration while under the influence of alcohol,” Arthur alleged in the arrest affidavit, adding Lindeman operated his vehicle “with extreme recklessness and carelessness” and failed to maintain his proper lane of travel while impaired by alcohol.”
“The nature of this crash and forces exchanged within the crash support the findings that Devon Lindeman was operating his vehicle at an excessive speed under intentional heavy acceleration while under the influence of alcohol.”
— Lower Providence Police Officer William T. Arthur alleged in the arrest affidavit