Police: Both drivers at fault in crash
MIDDLESEX TWP — Police say that two drivers who crashed in July both had blood alcohol levels more than three times the legal limit and were both at fault in the wreck.
The crash, which happened the night of July 30 on Route 8, was between a Ford F-150 pickup truck and a Lexus sedan.
Both drivers and two passengers in the truck were all taken to Pittsburgh hospitals with serious injuries. A dog in the truck died and another dog was badly injured.
Kyle Wenzel and Charlene Wellington-Radwan were the passengers in the truck and were both ejected in the crash.
Robert F. Radwan, 45, of Forward Township was the driver of the truck and Anthony Trapani, 46, of Middlesex Township was driving the Lexus. Both were arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Sue Haggerty on DUI charges and three counts each of felony aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI.
Middlesex Township Officer Bryan Costanzo, who responded to the crash, reported smelling a strong odor of alcoholic beverages when he approached the truck, according to the criminal complaint.
After the crash, police carried out search warrants for both vehicles, including their data recorders, which would shed light on what happened at the time of the crash.
The truck, according to the criminal complaint, contained both full and empty cans of beer and bottles of Mike's Hard Lemonade.
The data recorders showed that the Lexus was traveling 84 mph at the time of the accident, while the truck was traveling 0 mph, police said. That section of Route 8 has a posted speed limit of 50 mph.
In August, police carried out search warrants for the medical records of all four people involved.
The records allegedly showed that Radwan had a blood-alcohol level of 0.285 percent and Trapani had a blood-alcohol level of 0.266 percent on the night of the crash.
Radwan suffered a skull fracture, aortic injuries, broken ribs and hematoma. Charlene Wellington-Radwan suffered multiple fractured vertebrae, an artery injury and other broken bones. Wenzel had a lumbar fracture and a pelvis fracture and Trapani had a facial laceration and a broken leg, according to their medical records.
Based on evidence at the scene and a statement made by Wenzel, police believe that Radwan was driving the truck southbound and had attempted to make an illegal U-turn on Route 8.
He stopped to avoid hitting a guide rail and was going to put the vehicle in reverse, when Trapani, driving southbound, came upon them and hit the truck's passenger door.
Both were also charged with summary traffic offenses.
Radwan is free on $10,000 bail. Trapani, who is also facing an operating watercraft with a high rate of alcohol from an incident in Pittsburgh on July 2, is free on $20,000 bail.
