A Saltsburg man who killed two people, including a Tarentum junior firefighter, in a 2017 drugged driving crash in Plum was ordered Tuesday to serve up to 14 years in state prison.

Allegheny County Judge David R. Cashman ordered Edward Leonard Cass III, 27, to serve a minimum of 7 years in connection with the Aug. 6, 2017, crash along Route 286.

Tarentum junior firefighter Michael Zier II, 17, who was preparing to start his senior year at Highlands High School, died in the crash along with his girlfriend’s mother Beth Ann Beveridge, 43, of Tarentum. Beveridge’s daughter, also in the car, was injured in the crash.

A criminal complaint filed against Cass said he had fentanyl and THC in his system when he crashed the SUV he was driving into the car driven by Beveridge.

Cass was convicted in July on five felony charges, including two counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.

Cass had been free on bond since July’s nonjury trial, but was taken into custody after the sentence was handed down Tuesday, according to Cass’s defense attorney, Patrick Thomassey.

A clerk for Cashman said Cass cried and apologized to family members of the victims during the sentencing hearing.

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