Family of South Park woman killed in Parkway West crash sues driver

The parents of a South Park college student killed two years ago in a crash are suing the driver of the car in which she was a passenger.

Victoria Elizabeth Brandt, 19, who was a student at Community College of Allegheny County South Campus, majoring in general studies, was killed when she was ejected in the crash on March 19, 2019.

Brandt was one of four occupants in a silver Honda Civic about 2:30 p.m. that day being driven by Aaron Hutchison, 20, of Carnegie.

State police said Hutchison was speeding on the Parkway West and attempted to switch lanes near the Carnegie interchange when he crashed.

Brandt died a short time later at UPMC Mercy hospital.

A tractor-trailer trying to avoid the collision swerved and hit a different vehicle.

Hutchison fled on foot but was found at a nearby gas station with serious injuries.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court by Brandt’s parents, Gregory J. Brandt and Calie Rafferty. It includes claims for wrongful death and negligence. The defendants include Hutchison and the owner of the car he was driving, Thomas Ramirez, who is the father of one of the other occupants in the car that day.

Hutchison has not been charged for the crash that killed Brandt, but is currently serving 18 months to seven years incarceration after pleading guilty to his third, felony DUI and driving on a suspended license in January.

That case stemmed from an arrest on Feb. 27, 2020.

Hutchison’s first DUI arrest, according to court records, was on Sept. 26, 2018, followed by another on Oct. 31, 2018.

The crash that killed Brandt was less than six months later.

Hutchison pleaded guilty in both of those cases in October 2019 and was ordered to serve 90 days in jail and one year of probation.

His defense attorney, Casey White, declined to comment.