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Despite futile attempts from friends to stop him, Alexander Koenigsberg — of Huntingdon Valley — got behind the wheel of his 2006 Honda Civic to drink with friends after a bowling alley birthday party on Jan. 22, 2022, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele said.
A few hours later, Koenigsberg was navigating a curve on Greenwood Avenue in Cheltenham when he lost control, struck a guardrail, and then continued partially in the northbound lane and partially on the grass for 142 feet, the DA said.
The vehicle struck two utility poles, the impact shearing off one of the poles near the base and broke the second pole in multiple places, leaving it suspended by its utility wires. Koeningsberg’s car spun 180 degrees and came to rest in the southbound lane of Greenwood Avenue around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 23, Steele said.
Responding Cheltenham officers found four people including Koenigsber lying on the ground outside of the car's open driver’s side door. All five of the car’s occupants, ages 17 to 20, were seriously injured and taken to area hospitals.
Nicholas Bednarek, of Abington, was pronounced dead later that morning at Abington Memorial Hospital. He had been unbuckled on the passenger side of the backseat.
A crash investigation found that Koeningsberg was going at least 62 mph in the 25 mph zone when he lost control of the vehicle on a left curve following the bridge, authorities said.
No alcohol was served at the bowling alley birthday party, but authorities did find empty alcohol bottles in Koeningsberg's car after the crash, Steele said.
A post-crash examination of the Honda Civic found no mechanical problems that could have contributed to the crash. It also found that the Honda had sustained heavy damage to the front of the vehicle, with extensive intrusion of 32 inches into the passenger compartment. The force of the impact partially separated the engine compartment from the passenger compartment at the firewall. The vehicle’s airbags did deploy at the time of the crash.
A 17-year-old female, who was unbuckled in the back seat, was sent head-first through the front windshield to her waist. She sustained a brain bleed, broken vertebrae, broken pelvis and other injuries. A female passenger seated behind the driver was wearing a seat belt and sustained a spinal injury, fractured ribs and internal injuries, authorities said.
The front-seat male passenger, who was wearing a seat belt, sustained a skull fracture, multiple broken vertebrae and extensive internal injuries that required the use of a ventilator.
Koenigsberg, who was wearing a seatbelt, sustained spinal injuries and a broken clavicle. Hospital testing of his blood during treatment showed a BAC estimated to be between .136% and .165% as well the presence of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. A blood sample taken from Koenigsberg was submitted to National Medical Services, which found a BAC of .117% and significant THC metabolites.
Crash investigators determined that the cause of the crash was Koenigsberg’s level of alcohol and drug impairment combined with the excessive speed and reckless operation of his vehicle. The manner Koenigsberg operated his vehicle directly led to the death of Bednarek and caused severe injuries to the three other passengers in the car at the time of the crash, authorities said.
“This young man turned his car into a lethal weapon and caused the crash that killed one passenger and injured three teenaged passengers so badly that they will be dealing with their injuries for a very long time,” said Steele. “Many families were forever altered by this defendant’s actions, and my heart goes out to all of them.”
Koenigsberg was arrested and charged with Homicide by Vehicle DUI, Homicide by Vehicle, Aggravated Assault DUI, DUI, and related charges. His arraignment is pending, at which time the preliminary hearing will be scheduled.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gwendolyn Kull.
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