LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — An Ephrata woman facing charges for allegedly causing a fatal crash that killed one man has waived her preliminary hearing, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office announced today.
Kendra Sakoian, 32, of Ephrata, faces charges of homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and failing to stop.
She waived her preliminary hearing on Sept. 28 and is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 27.
The crash occurred on Feb. 2, when Sakoian allegedly ran a stop sign and crashed into a pickup truck driven by Michael Diem, 49, of New Holland, at the intersection of North Railroad Avenue and Gristmill Road in Earl Township. The impact sent Diem's pickup truck into oncoming traffic, where it collided with a box truck, police said.
Diem was taken to a hospital for treatment and succumbed to his injuries on Feb. 8.
Event Data Recorder downloaded from Sakoian’s vehicle showed her vehicle traveled through the stop sign at approximately seven miles per hour and accelerated to approximately 14 miles per hour when entering the intersection, the DA's office said.
Sakoian allegedly told police she knew there was a stop sign at the intersection, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
“The investigation revealed that Sakoian ignored her duties at a properly posted stop sign, proceeded into the intersection without stopping and was aware of approaching traffic that had the right-of-way, causing a collision that resulted in the death of Michael Diem,” police claim in the affidavit.
An inspection of all vehicles involved did not reveal any mechanical or structural defects that would have contributed to the crash, investigators said.
