Trial begins for man accused of killing 2 in Plum DUI crash

A Saltsburg man accused of killing a Tarentum junior firefighter and his girlfriend’s 43-year-old mother in a drunken-driving crash finally began his trial Monday morning in Allegheny County.

The trial for Edward Leonard Cass III, 27, trial had been rescheduled eight times before Monday. Allegheny County Judge David R. Cashman is handling the nonjury trial.

Prosecutors said Cass was intoxicated on Aug. 6, 2017, when he crashed a vehicle head-on into an SUV along Route 286 in Plum.

Michael Zier II, 17, a junior firefighter in Tarentum who was entering his senior year at Highlands High School, and Beth Ann Beveridge died in the crash. Beveridge’s daughter was injured.

A criminal complaint said Cass had fentanyl and THC from marijuana in his system.

Cass was charged with five felonies, including two counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, two counts of homicide by vehicle and one count of aggravated assault by a vehicle while driving under the influence.

He turned himself in to police on Sept. 15, 2017. After initially being held on $100,000 bond, Cass’s bail was dropped and he was released from jail on Sept. 27, 2017, to await trial.