Facing a Friday deadline, the Indiana County District Attorney’s office yesterday filed a motion asking for an extension of time to file its brief responding to James Brown’s omnibus pretrial motion in a homicide by vehicle case.
The 34-year-old Brown is charged with six felony offenses, two misdemeanors, and nine summary traffic violations for crashing a car over a fuel pump and into the building at Pikels Top Tier Fuels in Home. The car and the building burst into flames, trapping 52-year-old Melissa Myers of Commodore inside the building. Myers, who was working at the gas station, died at the scene. Brown admitted to police that he had taken heroin and smoked marijuana prior to the crash.
Brown’s motion seeks to suppress evidence and have the charges dismissed. He is also asking to be released from jail on nominal bond. In a motions hearing last month, Judge Thomas Bianco ordered the D.A. to file the brief by March 15th, with the defense then having ten days to respond. No trial date has been set.
