In a preliminary hearing yesterday, District Judge Susanne Steffee ordered 33-year-old James Eugene Brown to stand trial for homicide by vehicle and related offenses in the death of a Commodore woman July 6th in a fiery crash at Pikel’s Top Tier Fuels, a gas station in the village of Home in Rayne Township.
Brown’s car careened off a curve on Route 119 at Route 85, overrunning a gas pump and smashing into the small building where 52-year-old Melissa Myers was working. Myers was trapped inside when the building burst into flames. Police said Brown was under the influence of marijuana and heroin. He was taken into custody after being treated at the Indiana Regional Medical Center. His passenger, 32-year-old Michael White of Punxsutawney, owned the car. He fled the scene on foot and made his way to his home, where he was later located by Punxsutawney Borough Police. He’s facing charges of resisting arrest and simple assault for a scuffle he had with an officer who was questioning him about the fatal crash.
In addition to homicide by vehicle, Judge Steffee held for trial felony charges of homicide by vehicle while under the influence, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, and two counts of accidents involving death or personal injury while unlicensed, plus two misdemeanor DUI charges and nine summary offenses.
Brown is being held at the Indiana County Jail with bond set at $250,000.
