Impaired driver dies on anniversary of Pa. crash
NEW CASTLE, Pa. (AP) — A 67-year-old western Pennsylvania has man died on the one-year anniversary of a crash in which he was allegedly under the influence of a painkiller when he drove into a yard, killing a 7-year-old boy and injuring his 9-year-old playmate.
The families of the dead boy, Octavius Stone, and his recovering friend, Emil Velez, were gathered to remember Stone on Monday when they learned 67-year-old Virgil Coonfare, of New Castle, had died earlier that day.
New Castle police say Coonfare was intoxicated when the pickup he was driving struck and killed Octavius while the boys were playing in the front yard of Velez’s grandmother last Nov. 25.
Coonfare had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial on charges of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence when he died Monday.