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"On January 16, 2021, Melissa Morrissey was killed as a result of the drunken, reckless behavior of Vincent Sosnowski," DA Pier Hess Graf states in the release.
Sosnowski was found guilty of the following by a jury on Feb. 15 Hess Graf explained: Homicide by Vehicle while DUI, Involuntary Manslaughter, and two counts of DUI.
He had a previous conviction after fleeing from the scene of an accident while DUI in 2016, according to the DA. He had crashed into the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant.
This incident in 2021 all began when Sosnowski, was driving with a blood alcohol content of .135% — the legal limit is .08% — when he "crashed through a large, downed tree that had fallen across U.S. Route 422 in North Cornwall Township," as detailed in the release. He was going more than 25 miles per hour above the posted speed at the time of the crash and didn't break when he hit the tree — causing "a large limb from the tree to [shoot] through the front windshield."
Morrissey, was in the front passenger seat and the limb fatally struck her in the face/head, causing her to die at the scene, authorities explained.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kevin M. Dugan.
Dugan was very pleased with the verdict because it finally [gave] the family of Melissa some closure. “Any case where someone has lost their life is a difficult case to try. As an attorney, you do your best to remove the emotions and focus on the facts and circumstances, but when you are meeting with the family and walking them through this legal process, that can sometimes be very difficult to do”, he stated. “I greatly appreciate the jurors from our community [who] invested their time and energy before reaching what I believe is the verdict Melissa deserved.”
Melissa worked at a Dollar General in Bethel, according to her obituary. She "enjoyed crafting, painting, and Harley Davidson Motorcycles," as stated in her obituary.
Sosnowski faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for this fatal crash. His sentencing has been set at 8:30 a.m. for March 27.
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