Defendant formally arraigned for 2019 homicide by vehicle
A Fayette County man charged in connection with a June 2019 fatal accident in Smith Township was formally arraigned Tuesday in Washington County Court.
Kameron Lamar Donahue, 29, of German Township, was charged under the criminal and motor vehicle codes, noted Judge Valarie Costanzo.
The charges include homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, driving under the influence, involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault by vehicle while under the influence, reckless driving and careless driving.
Donahue is being held in the Washington County jail on $1 million bond.
According to the criminal complaint, the accident occurred about noon June 15, 2019, at 266 Smith Township Road. Donahue was driving a water truck and crossed the yellow line, hitting a vehicle driving north. According to the complaint, Donahue later consented to a blood draw and tested positive for THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis.
When emergency crews arrived on the scene, the other driver, Vincent W. Badamo, 66, of McKees Rocks, was trapped in his vehicle. He was alert and talking to firefighters while he was being extricated, according to the criminal complaint.
Badamo was transported to Weirton (W.Va.) Hospital. He was pronounced dead about 1:30 p.m.
The truck Donahue was driving was owned by New Stanton-based HB Trucking. Donahue told police the truck was fully loaded with more than 4,800 gallons of water.
According to the complaint, Donahue said he was unable to stop and attempted to go around a vehicle that was waiting to turn left, but didn’t see Badamo’s vehicle coming the other way.
Deputy district attorneys Leslie Ridge and Jason Walsh are handling the prosecution. Donahue and his attorney, Paul R. Gettleman, appeared separately via video. The judge scheduled a pretrial conference for mid-November.