Judge clears transit workers of most serious charges
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Two transit workers accused of racing their buses have been acquitted of the most serious charges against them in a 2014 crash.
Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning said Thursday he believed 47-year-old Juliann Maier and 57-year-old Thomas Frauens were racing on Interstate 279. But he cleared them of reckless endangerment charges and acquitted Frauens of leaving the scene of an accident.
Manning found both fired Port Authority drivers guilty of summary offenses and fined the pair.
Both drivers have appealed to get their jobs back and the case is awaiting an arbitration decision.
Maier’s defense attorney says he plans to appeal the summary convictions in an effort to get her job back. Frauens’ defense attorney will appeal if the fines prevent him from getting his job back.