Local News
Hastings driver charged in crash
PATTON — Borough police have filed criminal charges against a Hastings woman after tests confirmed she was under the influence of methadone and other drugs when she crashed head-on into another vehicle.
Megan Strasser, 22, of Mitchell Street, was charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance, reckless driving and operating a vehicle without required insurance.
Police Chief Vincent Leppert filed the charges at District Judge Michael Zungali’s office in Hastings.
Leppert responded to theOct. 2 crash on Magee Avenue, where Strasser’s four-door Chevrolet sedan had struck a Ford van operated by William Albright.
According to the complaint filed by Leppert, Strasser was traveling north on Route 36 when she “passed out or fell asleep” behind the wheel, crossed oncoming traffic and struck Albright’s vehicle.
Strasser was transported to Miners Medical Center in Hastings for treatment of her injuries.
Neither driver was seriously injured, Leppert said.
Leppert said that during an interview at the scene, Strasser admitted being dosed with methadone prior to driving.
Methadone is used to treat heroin addiction, and many patients “dose” at methadone clinics on an outpatient basis.
Tests showed Strasser tested negative for alcohol use, but positive for methadone and nordiazepam, a drug often prescribed to treat anxiety.
“As soon as (Strasser) crashed and we arrived on the scene, she told us she had taken methadone,” Leppert said.
“She told us she was on a legal prescription.”
Leppert said he did not immediately know if Strasser had obtained her dose at a methadone clinic or if she had been following a take-home regimen.
- Local News
-
-
Northeast braces for Earl's arrival
A tropical storm warning has been issued for New York’s Long Island coast as Hurricane Earl barrels toward the Eastern Seaboard.
-
NEW – Police dog bites girl, mom
Police say a western Pennsylvania K-9 was likely being protective when he bit a 6-year-old girl and her mother after his handler offered them a ride to school.
-
Bleier: Flight 93 fundraising dinner set for November
Former running back Rocky Bleier and other ex-Pittsburgh Steelers are organizing a fundraising dinner to benefit the Flight 93 National Memorial.
-
Handyman gets prison
A former part-time handyman/caregiver for an elderly West Hills woman was sentenced Wednesday to six to 15 years in state prison for misappropriating more than $600,000 from the woman, who thought of him as a son.
-
Barrel contains murder victim
An investigation into a series of thefts has led state police to discover a barrel containing the remains of a homicide victim in a body of water in Indiana County.
-
Judge overturns ruling on police benefits
Cambria County Judge Patrick Kiniry says an arbitrator went too far in cutting police officers’ retirement medical benefits in the financially distressed city of Johnstown.
-
Rape suspect seeks release on lower bond
A Portage man arrested over the weekend after a standoff with police wants his $250,000 bond reduced so he can get out of prison.
-
Valu King pushes bargains at 1st Pa. store in chain
There’s a standard deli, meat cooler and frozen-food section.
But, near the front of the new Valu King store in Johnstown’s Westwood Plaza, there also are fortress-like stacks of Niagara bottled water and DelGrosso pasta sauce. -
Ex-worker charged in CoGo’s robbery
A Twin Rocks woman has been charged with robbing a CoGo’s convenience store where she once worked.
-
Research institute seeks entries for essay contest
With Breast Cancer Awareness Month on the horizon, Windber Research Institute is holding an essay contest for kids 14 and younger.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Northeast braces for Earl's arrival
