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Stephen Michael Kravitz Jr., 53, of Emmaus, is accused of plowing a refrigerated box truck into a line of stopped vehicles at Route 30 and Kenneth Road in West Manchester Township on April 16, 2024, police said.
Kravitz was arraigned on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, before Judge Tobin L. Zech and denied bail. He remains held at York County Prison, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 2025, according to court records.
The crash, which occurred on a clear morning with temperatures in the 50s, killed 45-year-old Barry Himeisen and 50-year-old James Lawyer Jr., both of York, police said. Several others suffered severe injuries, including spinal fractures and chronic pain requiring ongoing treatment, according to the affidavit.
Eight people were injured in the crash, ranging from minor to critical conditions. A school van carrying four juvenile passengers and its driver was side-swiped during the collision. Thankfully, none of the children or the driver sustained injuries, authorities said.
Witnesses and surveillance footage documented Kravitz’s reckless driving for over six miles leading up to the crash. He reportedly never slowed his truck, which was traveling at 63 mph in a 40 mph zone, police said. Toxicology reports revealed Kravitz had Alprazolam, Clonazepam, and Buprenorphine in his system at the time, impairing his ability to drive.
Kravitz, who holds a Commercial Driver’s License, is accused of failing to disclose his drug use during required medical examinations. Police say he also caused a DUI-related crash in November 2023 while under the influence of the same substances.
Charges:
Kravitz faces the following charges:
- Felony Murder of the Third Degree (2 counts)
- Felony Homicide by Vehicle (2 counts)
- Felony Homicide by Vehicle While DUI (2 counts)
- Felony Aggravated Assault by Vehicle While DUI (10 counts)
- Misdemeanor Recklessly Endangering Another Person (28 counts)
- Misdemeanor DUI: Controlled Substance - Impaired Ability (1 count)
- Misdemeanor DUI: Controlled Substance – Schedule 2 or 3, Second Offense (1 count)
- Felony Aggravated Assault (4 counts)
- Felony Aggravated Assault by Vehicle (4 counts)
- Speeding, Reckless Driving, and Careless Driving (Multiple counts)
Kravitz faces life-altering consequences for the crash, which investigators say could have been avoided. His actions were described as "reckless and criminally negligent," according to Officer Justin Hobbs, a crash reconstruction expert with the West Manchester Township Police Department.
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