Continuance granted in case involving Cass Twp. homicide by vehicle; defendant in Schuylkill County courtroom

Amy Marchiano, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·4 min read

POTTSVILLE — The attorney for an Ohio man charged with killing a Pottsville grandmother when he drove his car head-on into hers on Route 901 in February was granted a request for more time to prepare before the case proceeds in county court.

Lora J. McDonald, public defender for Rodney Rivers, 46, of Youngstown, asked Judge Christina E. Hale for the delay during a status conference Tuesday because she just recently received discovery evidence.

“He has very serious case. It’s a homicide by vehicle case,” she said about her client, who sat handcuffed in the jury box with other defendants during the brief proceeding.

District Attorney Michael A. O’Pake did not object to the continuance, and Hale set a new date of Aug. 13.

The status of a second case against Rivers, for a January incident in Schuylkill Haven, will also be detailed that day.

Rivers is charged with homicide by vehicle and three counts each of aggravated assault by vehicle and accidents involving death or injury while not licensed, all felonies; a misdemeanor of driving while a license is suspended or revoked; and eight traffic-related summary counts, including passing left when unsafe to do so, in connection with a Feb. 9 crash in Cass Twp.

The crash killed the driver of an oncoming Kia, Elizabeth Ryan, 65, of Pottsville, and seriously injured her two grandchildren, cousins Laykin Ryan, 8, and Kaiden Holmes.

Rivers is in Northumberland County Prison, where he’s being held on $500,000 bail following a Feb. 22 preliminary hearing in which all charges were bound to court. He’s being held there because an employee at the Schuylkill County Prison is related to the crash victim.

According to state police Trooper Nicholas Reese’s account in an affidavit, Minersville Officer Eric Wilson was on “stationary patrol” in a marked vehicle with its headlights on at Sunbury (Route 901) and Sixth streets in the borough about 7:30 that night when he observed a dark-colored sedan traveling west. He queried the license plate number and learned that it was expired as of May 31 and was for a 2008 Volkswagen sedan. The officer could see an Audi symbol at the rear of the car.

He activated the emergency lights and pulled onto Sunbury Street, according to the affidavit.

Wilson activated his siren but lost sight of the vehicle. While he was attempting to make up the distance, he heard a call over emergency communications for a crash, and shortly after came upon the scene 0.7 miles from where he had been parked on patrol, and noted the Audi had struck a Kia sedan head-on.

Police said the Audi was overtaking two other vehicles traveling west while rounding a sharp curve in the road near the Life Flight building.

Dashcam video from an officer in a vehicle behind the Kia shows that Rivers operated “in a reckless, careless and negligent manner” while overtaking vehicles while approaching a curve at a high rate of speed, police said.

For the Schuylkill Haven incident, Rivers had waived his right to a hearing on charges including a misdemeanor of driver’s license suspended or revoked, third or subsequent offense; and a summary charge each of driving an unregistered vehicle, not having insurance and fraudulent use and removal of a registration plate.

Police said Rivers was driving a Mercedes-Benz that had a tint cover over the temporary New Jersey license plate. Officer Michael Kalyan stopped Rivers, who did not have a valid driver’s license and was found to have had two prior DUI-related license suspensions.

Also, the license plate on the car was expired and belonged to another vehicle, and the Mercedes was not insured.

Schuylkill Haven Police Chief Jeffrey Walcott said previously the vehicle was towed and the keys taken from Rivers. Kalyan drove Rivers to the Sheetz on Route 61 in North Manheim Twp. so he could make a phone call and get something to eat, Walcott said.

Rivers was told that he would be receiving charges in the mail, but a warrant was issued when he didn’t respond to those charges. After the crash in Cass Twp., Rivers was arrested.