Police in two northern Washington communities charge parents with child endangerment
A Burgettstown mother and a father from Beaver County were each charged with endangering the welfare of children by police in two northern Washington County communities in connection with separate vehicle crashes in January.
Kristen Jane Richards, 30, of 52 Florence Ave., is also charged by McDonald police with failure to have her children properly restrained, failure to drive at a safe speed, careless driving and other traffic violations in the Jan. 4 crash on Pine Street in Burgettstown. Her two sons, ages 5 and 8, were injured in the crash.
David Allan Marsh, 33, of Beaver Falls, is also charged by Hanover police with reckless endangerment and driving under the influence of fentanyl after crashing into a guardrail off Route 22 on Jan. 8 while his 3-year-old daughter was in the vehicle.
McDonald police were called to Pine Street near Florence where a vehicle hit a tree. When police arrived, they found Richards’ vehicle over a hillside. Richards told police she was taking her sons to the baby-sitter when her vehicle slid and she was unable to stop.
Her 8-year-old son was taken to Weirton (W.Va.) Medical Center for treatment of a possible broken leg while the other boy was taken for treatment of a possible broken nose. Police learned neither child was buckled into a car seat, which may have contributed to the injuries.
Richards is being charged by summons from the office of District Judge Gary Havelka. She is scheduled for an April 26 preliminary hearing .
Hanover police obtained an arrest warrant for Marsh from Havelka. Police were notified of a vehicle being driven erratically on Route 22 that had hit a guardrail. The driver, later identified as Marsh, got off Route 22 at the Burgettstown exit as the Hanover officers arrived.
Police said Marsh failed a field sobriety test. Drug testing reportedly showed the presence of fentanyl in his system. When an officer removed the car seat from his vehicle, he discovered it was not properly secured. The girl was released to her mother, who also picked up her husband.
Anyone with information on Marsh’s whereabouts is asked to call township police at 724-947-4813.