From staff reports
A Franklin man is wanted on vehicular homicide and DUI charges in connection with a 2016 crash in Sugarcreek Borough that killed a Franklin woman.
Raymond Herold, 34, is accused of crashing a vehicle along Sugarcreek Drive on June 5, 2016, resulting in the death of Christina Hoover, 34.
Herold had undercompensated for a right curve, and the vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole with the driver’s side door before flipping over onto its roof, according to Franklin state police.
Herold is wanted on felony counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI and homicide by vehicle, in addition to two misdemeanor counts of DUI and four summary counts related to traffic violations.
After the crash, Herold was flown to UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash, according to a criminal complaint filed through district judge Patrick Lowrey’s office.
Franklin state police traveled to the hospital on June 6 to interview Herold about the incident. Herold related that he met Hoover at The Office bar in Franklin around 9:30 p.m. that night, the complaint said.
Herold said the pair went to leave together around 11:30 p.m., and Hoover’s friend asked Herold not to allow Hoover to drive since she had been drinking, the complaint said.
Hoover had said she was able to drive, said Herold, and the two left Franklin headed toward Sugarcreek Borough on Route 322, the complaint said.
Herold said the roads had been wet from rain, and he could only recall waking up after the crash. He said he tried to lift the vehicle off of Hoover, the complaint said.
Police conducted a follow-up interview with Herold on June 15, in which he again said Hoover had been driving the vehicle. Herold said the vehicle had made no stops along the way and he said he had been buzzed but not intoxicated, the complaint said.
Police interviewed three witnesses who had been at the bar the night of the accident. Each related either seeing Herold get into the driver’s side of the vehicle, or Hoover saying that she wasn’t driving, the complaint said.
A witness interviewed last May said he had left the bar and was driving in front of Herold and Hoover. The man said he was at the scene of the crash and heard Herold state that he had killed someone, the complaint said.
Anyone with information regarding Herold’s whereabouts is asked to contact Franklin state police at (814) 676-6596.