Hempfield woman accused of DUI, homicide by vehicle in fatal motorcycle crash on Route 66
May 20—A 33-year-old Hempfield woman is accused of being drunk when she crashed into a motorcycle last year, killing the driver.
Tuesdae M. Checque was arraigned this week on multiple criminal charges, including homicide by vehicle while DUI, careless driving, driving at an unsafe speed, driving on the wrong side of the highway, driving under the influence and reckless driving in connection with the death of Charles L. Burkholder Jr., 67, of Acme.
Burkholder died of multiple injuries at Forbes Hospital in Monroeville two days after the July 4, 2020, crash, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office.
The crash occurred in Hempfield along Route 66, about four miles north of Greensburg, near the intersection with Poplar Drive, according to state police.
A report on the accident is not yet available from state police.
Trooper Brandon Boyd reported in court documents that he was dispatched to the 9:45 p.m. crash, where he found Checque sitting on a guiderail.
Boyd reported in court documents that Checque said she had been at a party near New Alexandria where "she had three beers."
Checque "smelled of alcoholic beverages" and "her speech was slow and slurred," Boyd wrote in court documents.
A forensic blood sample taken at Excela Health Westmoreland hospital in Greensburg showed she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.166 percent, according to court documents. The legal limit to drive in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.
Boyd reported Checque told him she did not see Burkholder's motorcycle and thought he may have "turned in front of her" or was driving without his lights on.
One witness who estimated he was driving 55 miles per hour was headed southbound and said Checque passed him by traveling into the northbound lane moments before the crash on Route 66. When he crested a hill on the road, the witness said he saw Checque's car swerve and fishtail in front of him "and he assumed the vehicle had hit something."
Boyd reported the rear tire and a fender from Burkholder's 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle were lodged in the front bumper of Checque's car at the accident scene. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
Born in Latrobe, Burkholder worked as a metal fabricator with EHC Industries in Mt. Pleasant for 28 years, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his wife, Anita Gonzalez, of Acme; his mother, Ann Burkholder of New Alexandria, and two children, Charles Burkholder III of Greensburg and Chelie Koshar of Scottdale.
Checque's private attorney, Michael Ferguson of Latrobe, declined to comment on the charges.
"We just received the charges and I'm still in the process of reviewing the allegations made in the complaint," Ferguson said.
"These cases are always tragic and our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Burkholder," Ferguson said.
Checque was released Tuesday on $50,000 recognizance bond pending a preliminary hearing June 24.
Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@triblive.com or via Twitter .
