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Jacqueline Walker, 63, of Little Egg Harbor, was hit with charges including third-degree murder, after fatally striking Lower Merion firefighter Thomas Royds on July 24, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Pennsylvania State Police Captain James B. Kemm said.
Walker's previous charge of vehicular homicide was dropped after toxicology tests revealed no alcohol or drugs in her blood and an investigation found she knowingly drove her Jeep Grand Cherokee with only one working brake at the time of the crash, authorities said.
Troopers and firefighters were at the scene of a crash involving a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu and 2017 Nissan Altima in the right shoulder of the westbound side around 3:05 a.m., authorities said.
Walker drove over the rumble strips that mark the right travel lane and berm, then drove on the berm around 3:25 a.m., striking a state trooper, the Altima, and three firefighters, according to the DA's office.
An ensuing investigation revealed that Walker's 2004 Jeep was in poor condition with severe rusting and only one functioning brake, authorities said.
She was aware of the brake system problem, but she refused to repair the brakes and continued to drive the vehicle, according to authorities.
They also found no evidence of any pre-impact evasive steering by Walker.
“While the defendant was taken into custody at the scene of the crash, that was just the beginning of the investigation. Our extensive investigation found that Walker operated her vehicle despite knowing that her brakes were not in functioning order, operating her vehicle in such an extreme reckless manner that she plowed through an active, well-marked emergency response area, severely injuring three first responders and killing another first responder, leading us to add the third-degree murder charge,” DA Steele said.
“Our investigation also led us to withdraw the Homicide by Vehicle–DUI charges after the toxicology tests found that she was not impaired with drugs or alcohol.”
“This tragedy strikes all first responders to our core. It is one of our greatest fears, to be hurt or severely injured while we are assisting others,” PSP Captain Kemm said.
Walker has been at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on $500,000 cash bail since the crash.
She was arraigned Tuesday by Magisterial District Judge Henry Schireson, who declined to set bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14 before Judge Schireson.
The case will be prosecuted by District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Chief of Trials Thomas W. McGoldrick.
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