Sep 16, 2015 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – A Wind Ridge woman who caused a fatal crash on Route 188 in Franklin Township more than two ago years pleaded guilty Monday to recklessly endangering another person and careless driving resulting in unintentional death.

Laura S. Grim, 46, of 275 W. Roy Furman Highway, was charged following a fatal crash Jan. 16, 2013, that resulted when her pickup truck crossed the center line near Valley Farm Drive about 7:30 p.m. and struck an oncoming car.

The driver of the car, Sharon K. Johnston, 58, of Waynesburg, died Feb. 12, 2013, of injuries suffered in the crash.

An investigation indicated Grim was driving about 60 mph in a 40 mph zone and that her pickup truck had crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic, state police said.

Grim pleaded guilty before Greene County President Judge Farley Toothman to two counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count each of speeding, disregarding traffic lanes and careless driving resulting in unintentional death. She was sentenced to 30 days to 23 1/2 months in jail, fined $1,550 and ordered to perform 75 hours of community service.

In his sentencing order, Toothman noted the court acknowledged Grim’s “genuine regret with regard to the accidental death” of Johnston.

A number of other criminal defendants pleaded guilty Monday before Toothman and were sentenced. They included:

Amanda Lynn Walls, 32, of 121 Second St., Clarksville; offenses – theft, receiving stolen property; between Feb. 1 and March 25, Walls stole money, jewelry and silver coins from her mother; sentence – 2 years of probation, $300 fine, 50 hours of community service, $1,122 in restitution.

Terry Lynn Braun, 39, of 113 Hilltop Lane, Graysville; offenses – careless driving, disorderly conduct; charges of recklessly endangering and accidents involving damage to an attended vehicle were withdrawn; on April 6, Braun pulled his vehicle in front of a pickup truck in Waynesburg to block it from moving and to confront the driver, whom he knew; Braun yelled at the man and pounded on his window; while leaving, his car sideswiped the other man’s truck; sentence – $150 fine, $1,160 in restitution.

Roger Leroy Gray Jr., 38, of 60 Short St., Mather; offenses – driving under the influence of alcohol, second offense in 10 years, 10 summary traffic violations; arrested July 5, 2015, Gray had a blood-alcohol content level of .136 percent; sentence – following preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Samantha Jo. Phillips, 24, of 183 Neff Road, Jefferson; offenses – theft, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, identity theft; between June 4 and 12, 2014, Phillips used the number on her grandparent’s credit card to charge $230.74 for pizza and a doctor’s bill; sentence – 37 days to 23 ½ months in jail, credit for 37 days served; $100 fine, 225 hours of community service and restitution.

John Francis Griffin, 39, of 168 Tollgate Run Road, Waynesburg; offenses – DUI, second offense in 10 years; resisting arrest, five summary traffic violations; arrested Aug. 20, 2014, Griffin had a BAC of .203 percent’ sentence – 90 days to 5 years in jail, $1,800 in fines, 225 hours of community service.

Pearl Marie Jinkens, 35, of 562 Riffle Hollow Road, Adah; offenses – DUI and four summary traffic violations; she was arrested Dec. 19 after crashing into a telephone pole; she smelled of alcohol but no BAC test was given; sentence – 48 hours to 6 months in jail, $575 in fines, 100 hours of community service.

Matthew C. Brown, 33, of 252 Grant St., Nemacolin; offenses – driving under the influence of a controlled substance and a summary traffic violation; he was arrested Dec. 23; a test indicated he was under the influence of morphine; sentence – 72 hours to 6 months in jail, $1,025 in fines, 25 hours of community service.