Dec 5, 2012 1 min read

A West Virginia man will stand trial on charges filed by state police in connection with a 2011 fatal crash on Interstate 79, near the south junction with Interstate 70, South Strabane Township. John W. Cruse II, 26, of Westover, W.Va., Wednesday waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Washington County Central Court in charges of homicide by vehicle, failure to drive at a safe speed and reckless driving in the March 4, 2011, crash that killed 49-year-old Cynthia A. Bittengle of St. Clairsville, Ohio. Both Bittengle and Cruse were traveling north in the left, northbound lane of I-79. Cruse reportedly failed to see she had slowed for traffic. His vehicle struck her sport-utility vehicle in the right rear. The impact caused her SUV to travel sideways through the grassy median to the southbound lanes of the interstate. State police said her SUV barrel-rolled across both southbound lanes. Bittengle, who police said was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected while the vehicle was rolling. Bittengle was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple injuries. Cruse was not hurt in the crash that closed both southbound lanes of the highway for several hours. Cruse remains free on $100,000 unsecured bond.