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Christopher Pineda-Gasca, 21 of the 200 block of Wheatley Street, North East, MD, was sentenced to 16 to 32 years in prison by Lancaster County by Judge Dennis Reinaker on Oct. 27, the district attorney's office detailed.
He had pleaded guilty to charges of third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude officer, DUI – general impairment, and recklessly endangering another person, the DA explained.
His charges stemmed from a high-speed pursuit that left 32-year-old Alicia Whisler of Mohnton dead and seriously injured her five-year-old daughter on Tuesday, April 4, 2022, according to the release.
A Pennsylvania state trooper attempted to stop Pineda-Gasca in Honey Brook Borough, Chester County when he spotted him driving a silver Infiniti with a stolen license plate around 9 a.m. that day, Trooper Kevin Kochka explained in a release the evening after the fatal chase.
"Pineda-Gasca attempted to elude officers at a high rate of speed, passing multiple cars illegally in the left lane," as stated in the DA's release.
He had refused to stop and fled west onto Pennsylvania State Route 23— starting a police pursuit, according to the police release.
"Mobile Video Recording (MVR) footage from the pursuing trooper showed police pulling Pineda-Gasca over in Chester County before the defendant fled at speeds upward of 85 miles per hour into Lancaster County, weaved in and out of traffic, and disregarded all traffic, stop, and speed limit signs," the DA explained.
Police continued the pursuit onto the 2700 block of Main Street in Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County where another vehicle attempted to turn left into the Conestoga Christian school parking lot— but that vehicle was struck by the Pineda-Gasca causing it to "roll over and hit a utility pole before coming to rest on its roof," Kochka says.
Pineda-Gasca had been attempting to illegally pass two vehicles at a speed above 100 mph before he struck the vehicle, the DA explained.
"The impact to the vehicle was catastrophic, causing the victim’s vehicle to roll over and impact a utility pole, land on its roof, and nearly split in two," as stated in the DA's release.
The driver of the vehicle, Whisler, died as a result of her injuries, and her daughter was taken to Reading Hospital, according to the release.
Pineda-Gasca was taken to Reading Hospital for minor injuries and a blood draw for suspicion of DUI, and was subsequently arrested by Pennsylvania state police, Kochka says.
A “bud” of marijuana was seen by police in the driver’s side door pocket of Pineda-Gasca' vehicle, as well as a burnt, half-smoked marijuana roach, and a “thick stack” of US currency, according to an affidavit.
Police reported in an affidavit that Pineda-Gasca admitted to fleeing “because he was in fear of being arrested for DUI” and that he smoked marijuana.
Alicia G. (Edwards) Whisler, was a teacher at Conestoga Christian School in Morgantown, where she passed away, according to authorities and her obituary.
She was originally from West Chester, PA. She went on the graduate from Millersville University with a degree in art education. "Alicia enjoyed gardening, cooking, art, hiking, and being outdoors. She loved her family, and animals, especially her dog, Fifi," as stated in her obituary.
She is survived by her husband Nathan T. Whisler, their son and daughter; brother: Douglas Edwards, Jr.; 6 brother-in-laws; mother-in-law: Debra (Dolenti) Whisler; maternal grandparents: Clyde and Frieda (Ward) Shepherd; and grandmother: Gertrude Edwards, as detailed in her obituary.
You can view a celebration of her life in the video player below.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jason Sperazza filed the charges against Pineda-Gasca and "Assistant District Attorney Christopher Miller prosecuted the case and laid out the following facts during the guilty plea and sentencing hearing," as stated in the DA's release.
Click here to read Alicia Whisler's complete obituary.
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