Thread: Fatal crash killed PA woman | Evelyn Falcon

Central Pa. man charged with murder in fatal crash that killed woman, police say

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/0...olice-say.html

• Published: Mar. 11, 2020, 4:15 p.m.
• Becky Metrick | bmetrick@pennlive.com

A Chambersburg man was taken into custody Wednesday, accused in a crash that resulted in the death of a 60-year-old woman, according to police.

Ramiro Federico Mendoza-Sales, 25, is charged with third-degree murder, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, and more in connection with the March 7 crash that killed Evelyn Falcon, according to online court dockets.

Chambersburg police Sgt. Matt Bietsch said officers fist encountered Mendoza-Sales driving a 2004 Honda in the area of 401 South Main Street around 2:20 a.m. Mendoza was driving without headlights, police said.

After an officer initiated the traffic stop by starting his lights and sirens, Mendoza-Sales fled, police said. The officer decided to not chase after Mendoza-Sales because he was speeding.

Several minutes later, officers found the Honda after it crashed into a home in the 500 block of South Coldbrook Avenue, police said. A 33-year-old passenger in the back seat was found by police with multiple injuries.

Falcon, 60, had been ejected from the vehicle and was found in the side yard of the home, police said. She was pronounced dead by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office.

Mendoza-Sales ran from the vehicle and a K9 was used to track him to a neighboring property, police said. Ramiro had injuries to his legs and was flown along with the other passenger to the hospital.

The other passenger has since been released from the hospital.

Bietsch said the police investigation found that the Honda was driving 60 mph at the time of the crash. The crash area is a residential neighborhood.

Mendoza-Sales was found to be under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled substances, Bietsch said.

On Wednesday, Ramiro was arraigned and denied bail due to the charges.

Police: Undocumented immigrant was fleeing police before fatal Chambersburg crash

Amber South
Chambersburg Public Opinion
March 12, 2020, 6:00 p.m. ET

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — An undocumented immigrant is in Franklin County Jail charged with third-degree murder in connection with a fatal crash last weekend in Chambersburg.

Ramiro Federico Mendoza-Sales, 25, was allegedly fleeing from police when he lost control and crashed into a house at about 2:20 a.m. Saturday at East McKinley Street and South Coldbrook Avenue, Chambersburg police reported in court documents. One person was found dead at the scene, having been ejected from the vehicle.

In addition to third-degree murder, Mendoza-Sales is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, two counts of accident involving death or injury while unlicensed, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, a misdemeanor count of involuntary manslaughter, and traffic violations, according to court records.

Magisterial District Judge David Plum denied bail on Wednesday, citing Mendoza-Sales’ role in the fatal crash and his status as an undocumented immigrant, court records show. The judge added he is a flight risk.

Police began pursuing the Honda Civic that Mendoza-Sales was driving after seeing it pull away from a curb onto South Main Street without its headlights on. Three occupants were seen inside.

An officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop after the Honda turned left onto East McKinley Street, but the vehicle went through a red light at South Second Street and continued to speed up.

The officer stopped pursuing the vehicle as it continued traveling east on East McKinley Street at a “high rate” of speed. The headlights remained off.

Other police officers were notified. The vehicle was found a few minutes later, crashed into a house at East McKinley and South Coldbrook.

The front seat passenger, whom Chambersburg police identified as Evelyn Falcon, 60, was found laying in the side yard of 540 S. Coldbrook Ave., after she was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Rinaldi Herrera-Moran, 33, was in the back seat of the vehicle, according to Chambersburg police. The driver, later identified as Mendoza-Sales, was not immediately located.

With a K-9, police found Mendoza-Sales hiding under a pile of leaves about 300 feet from the crash site.

A reconstruction of the crash found that the Honda had been leaving skid marks on the road as it approached a curve and lost control. It traveled over a sidewalk and into some yards, then crossed South Coldbrook and traveled through a yard before striking the corner of a house.

The impact caused the vehicle to spin, ejecting Falcon through the windshield from the front passenger seat. She was pronounced deceased by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office.

Rinaldi Herrera-Moran had sustained multiple injuries and was flown to a hospital for treatment.

Mendoza-Sales sustained compound fractures to both of his legs. The injury is consistent with one’s “knees striking the underside of a dashboard after a head-on vehicle collision,” police said.

Mendoza-Sales was missing a shoe when he was found. A matching opposite shoe was found next to the brake pedal of the Honda, leading police to determine that he was the driver, according to court documents.

A search of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation database showed Mendoza-Sales does not have a valid driver’s license, police said.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 24 in Franklin County Central Court.