30-year-old David Strowhouer may become the first man to be convicted of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
Homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence is a relatively new offense that has appeared in the books. It carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years for repeat offenders.
Since 2010, Strowhouer has been convicted of DUI on five separate occasions. It seems he learned little from his previous offenses. Last month, he allegedly crashed his pickup truck into a Subaru on the other side of the road and fled. He was then arrested on February 17, the day after the crash occurred.
Witnesses said that Strowhouer crossed the double-yellow line on Route 452 and crashed head-on into the Eckmans’ car. By the time the authorities arrived, Deana Eckman was found unresponsive. Her husband, the driver, was treated for a broken pelvis, but Mrs. Eckman was eventually pronounced dead at the scene.
According to reports, the driver of the truck was not immediately found. Instead, the police were approached by a man – Strowhouer – who claimed to be a passenger of said vehicle. He appeared drunk and smelled of alcohol. Authorities discovered that Strowhouer was the driver of the crashed truck and that the vehicle belonged to someone else. Police found his driver’s license in the truck and noted that it was an expired Florida license. Further investigation found that his Pennsylvania license was suspended due to his prior DUI convictions in the state.
Records show that Strowhouer has repeated offenses from 2010 up until 2017. Four of his convictions had been in Chester County alone. In his 2017 case, the court sentenced him to one to five years in prison. However, Strowhouer was granted parole after about a year, due to good behavior.
If found guilty, he will be the first person in Delaware County to be convicted of this offense. In addition, he faces the charge of aggravated assault by vehicle, causing an accident involving death, among others.
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