Oct 17, 2018 2 min read

A former Monongahela woman arrested in August by North Strabane Township police in connection with a 2017 crash that killed her friend waived her case to court Tuesday.

Tyra Laann Daube, 21, of 655 Addison St., Washington, is charged with homicide by vehicle, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of a controlled substance, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, driving over the divider and several traffic violations. She had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Jay Weller.

Killed in the March 18, 2017, crash was 20-year-old Elizabeth Bright of Monongahela, who was a front-seat passenger when Daube’s car crashed into a sport utility vehicle on Route 19. Bright, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene.

Daube was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment. The driver of the other vehicle and two children who were passengers were taken to Canonsburg Hospital for treatment.

An officer at the scene could smell the odor of burnt marijuana in Daube’s car as she was being freed from the wreckage. Blood was drawn from Daube at the hospital and sent for testing. She also reportedly admitted to Sgt. David Richards, who filed the charges, she smoked marijuana before the crash and could not remember what happened.

Her defense attorney, R. Blaine Jones, said after the proceeding it was in his client’s best interest to waive the charges. He said he has been in discussions about the resolution of the case with the Washington County district attorney’s office.

“She lost her best friend since childhood,” Jones said of Daube, adding she lives with that loss every day. “We are taking people’s feelings into account.”

Jones also noted Daube’s entire family was in the courtroom to support her.

Daube remains free on $50,000 unsecured bond. She is scheduled to be formally arraigned on the charges Nov. 29.