Jessica Royall

CRANBERRY TWP — A township woman is being held in Butler County Prison on charges that she dragged her boyfriend with her SUV Friday night, leading to his death.

Police said Jessica A. Royall, 28, drove her Buick Rendezous a half-mile on Cross Creek Drive with Ryan Minett, 27, of New Brighton, Beaver County, hanging from a luggage rack on the rear driver's side of the vehicle, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Minett was critically injured and died Saturday afternoon at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Royall was arrested by Cranberry Township police Friday night and arraigned by District Judge Wayne Seibel. She was being held Sunday in Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail.

Her charges as of Sunday night included felony aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, felony aggravated assault by vehicle, DUI, recklessly endangering another person and several summary traffic offenses.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled Minett's death a homicide. Township police have indicated more charges could be added later.

The official cause of death is listed as “blunt impact injuries to head, torso and extremities,” according to their report.

Police, fire and EMS units were called to Cross Creek Drive around 4:30 p.m. Friday for a report of a one-vehicle accident with an injured man lying by the side of the road, according to Butler County Emergency Services.

Several witnesses called 911 to report the incident, and Royall, who had returned to her home nearby on Boardwalk Drive, also called 911, according to the affidavit.

In her account of the incident to police, Royall allegedly said that she and Minett were having an argument at her house and she got in her SUV to leave and pick up her children in North Huntingdon.

She allegedly told police that Minett confronted her in the driveway and held on to the vehicle as she drove away, documents say. She said Minett held on to the vehicle while she drove from Boardwalk Drive to Waterlilly Lane, to Theda-Dori Street to Cross Creek Drive. She claimed that she stopped at least four times to try a nd get him to stop hanging onto the vehicle, documents say.

Police said they talked to nine witnesses who reported seeing the vehicle speeding on Cross Creek Drive with Minett hanging from a luggage rack and hitting three curbs.

He fell off near the intersection with Little Pine Road, where he tumbled and hit a light pole, the affidavit said.

Investigators allege that he was dragged 2,629 feet. That's 11 feet shy of a half-mile, 2,640 feet.

Cranberry Township Police Sgt. Chuck Mascellino said Sunday that witnesses told officers the windows of the vehicle were up when the man was hanging on.

Police were considering filing more charges depending on the condition of the victim, he said.

Royall, whose driver's license is suspended, is also facing criminal charges in Allegheny County where White Oak Police charged her last July with misdemeanor accidents involving death or personal injury, according to court records. She was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing in that case Monday.

She has two previous misdemeanor convictions on drug possession charges.