Wheeling man formally arraigned on charges related to son’s death
A West Virginia man charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol appeared in Washington County Court Monday morning for formal arraignment before a judge.
Jonathan Brook Gracey, 52, of Wheeling, is charged in connection with the April 25, 2019, death of his son, Robert James Gracey, 15.
Judge Valarie Costanzo scheduled a pretrial conference for March.
Gracey waived his right to a preliminary hearing in November before District Judge Robert Redlinger.
State police filed charges nearly six months after the crash on Interstate 70 in a construction zone near the Chestnut Street interchange near Washington.
The teenage passenger was ejected from the vehicle when it rear-ended a tractor-trailer that was stopped in westbound traffic at night in North Franklin Township.
Jonathan Gracey was taken to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh, where his blood-alcohol level registered at 0.151%, police stated in the affidavit.
Deputy District Attorney Jason Walsh said of the time between the crash and charging Gracey, “We waited for toxicology and accident reconstruction results. Based on that information, we decided what charges were warranted.”
Among the charges is involuntary manslaughter.
Attorney Chad Schneider of Pittsburgh is representing the defendant, who remains free on $100,000 unsecured bond.