Erie motorist cited for careless driving-unintentional death in crash that killed pedestrian

An Erie woman who police said was behind the wheel of a car that struck and killed a city woman at a westside intersection in January is facing summary charges including careless driving-unintentional death in the crash.

Erie police have also cited 22-year-old Brittany C. Paulus with summary counts of speeding and driving without insurance in the accident, which happened on the evening of Jan. 2 at the intersection of West 26th and Cherry streets.

Salena Waldo, 48, was killed in the crash.

Paulus faces fines and court costs on each of the citations she faces.

Paulus is charged by summons in the case through the office of Erie 6th Ward District Judge Timothy Beveridge. Summonses were initially issued on Nov. 2, with certified summonses issued on Tuesday, according to docket information.

No action had been taken on the summonses as of Thursday.

Investigators said following the crash that the driver of a Pontiac Grand Am, later identified as Paulus, was traveling west on West 26th Street when the car struck Waldo, who was walking north across West 26th Street and was in the crosswalk on the east side of the intersection.

Investigation:Erie police interview driver, seek witnesses in fatal pedestrian crash

Authorities said it appeared that the westbound car had the green light when the crash occurred. The crash was reported shortly before 7 p.m.

Waldo was taken to UPMC Hamot, where she was pronounced dead.

Paulus and two passengers in her vehicle were not injured in the accident, investigators reported in January.

Erie police Sgt. Thomas Dunmire, an accident investigator for Erie police, wrote in the citation against Paulus for careless driving-unintentional death that she acted in a "careless disregard" when Waldo was struck and killed. He wrote in the speeding citation that the investigation determined that Paulus was traveling at about 51 mph in a 25 mph zone when the accident occurred.

The Erie County District Attorney's Office reviewed the Erie police investigation into the crash. Their review included looking at surveillance video that showed the crosswalk, reviewing information obtained from Paulus' vehicle and reviewing the recorded interviews of witnesses, Assistant District Attorney Emily Downing said.

Two other fatal crashes in Erie from earlier this year remain under investigation.

• Patrick Conner, 40, was killed when the bicycle he was riding collided with a sport-utility vehicle in the 4100 block of Peach Street on the evening of Sept. 14. Investigators said Conner's bicycle, which was towing a trailer, was traveling north when it collided with a Ford Expedition that was traveling south and was in the center turn lane.

More:Authorities ID Erie bicyclist killed in crash with SUV; police search for surveillance video

• Trina Pope, 57, was killed on the morning of Sept. 19 when she was struck by a Toyota Camry as Pope was attempting to cross West 12th Street at Raspberry Street. Investigators said Pope was crossing the street heading south in an area where there is no crosswalk when she was struck by the vehicle as it traveled east on West 12th Street.

More:Erie police continue examination of car in fatal pedestrian crash at West 12th and Raspberry

Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNhahn.