Mar 2, 2017 2 min read

A Hickory man was charged last week by Smith police with furnishing alcohol to minors and corruption of minors after he allegedly provided alcohol to a teenage driver who was later killed in a crash in which three of the four passengers were seriously injured.

Joshua William Kusky, 22, of 4210 Henderson Road, was charged after police obtained information from the surviving occupants of the vehicle in the accident that killed Tyler Austin Bowe, 19, of Burgettstown, identifying Kusky as the one who provided Bowe with beer and whiskey for $50.

Bowe was pronounced dead at the scene of the Jan. 21 one-vehicle crash on Ridge Avenue. The car that Bowe was driving left 100 feet of skid marks on the left side of the road. The car hit a tree and went over a 15-foot embankment, landing on its wheels. All five occupants were trapped inside the car. As the passengers were removed from the car, they all reportedly admitted to drinking. Police found a fifth of whiskey on the front floor of the car as well as full and empty cans of beer.

One of the passengers told police that Bowe was going 50 to 55 mph per hour before the crash and that he told him to slow down.

Kusky reportedly admitted to police that he took the beer and whiskey to Bowe. He also told police that he was holding the alcohol for Bowe. When asked about the $50 fee, Kusky reportedly could not provide a good explanation, police said.

Chief Bernie LaRue said the charges were filed after consultation with the Washington County district attorney’s office. Two 17-year-old Washington girls in the vehicle along with Nicholas Cook, 19, of Bulger, and Rankin Cody, 19, of Avella, will be charged at a later date with underage drinking, LaRue said.

The charges were sent by summons from the office of District Judge Gary Havelka. Kusky is scheduled to have an April 6 preliminary hearing before Havelka.