Blairsville woman sentenced to jail term for 2024 fatal Derry Twp. crash

John Higgins said he and his 10-year-old daughter continue to struggle with the death of his fiance, who was killed in a head-on crash last year in Derry Township.

Ashley Kelley, 33, pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced to serve nearly one year in jail for her role in that crash.

Police initially said was the fatality was related to Kelley being under the influence of marijuana on Feb. 19, 2024, when her Dodge Caravan veered into oncoming traffic on state Route 217 and slammed head on into a vehicle driven by 49-year-old Regina Endress of Indiana County.

Higgins’ daughter was a passenger in Endress’ vehicle and was flown to a hospital to be treated for injuries she sustained in the crash.

“I think the justice system is not great in this case.You have caused a lot of grief and heartache for a lot of people, including my daughter,” Higgins said during Kelley’s guilty plea hearing Tuesday morning. “She has to live with that for the rest of her life.”

Assistant District Attorney Anthony Iannamorelli said prosecutors were unable to prove that marijuana found in Kelley’s blood directly contributed to the crash and as a result agreed to dismiss a felony charge of DUI-related vehicular homicide that carries a mandatory 3-to-6 year prison sentence.

Kelley agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular homicide caused by her violation of a traffic offense of crossing into oncoming traffic, as well as related charges of reckless endangerment and driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Stewart III sentenced Kelley to serve at least one year, less a day, to two years, less a day, in the county jail for the vehicular homicide offense. The judge also imposed a concurrent sentence of up to five years in prison for the DUI count.

“There really isn’t a sentence I can craft that is appropriate,” Stewart said.

According to court records, immediately after the crash Kelley told police: “I don’t know if my eyes bugged out or I zoned out but then I realized I was in the oncoming lane of traffic and I saw the other vehicle in front of me. It was too late for me to attempt to avoid the collision and I hit the other vehicle head on.”

In court, Kelley told the judge she accepts responsibility for Endress’ death.

“I took her from her family and for this I am so sorry. What happened that day was my fault. I just looked away for a second. I haven’t driven since that day and I don’t think I ever will again,” Kelley said.

She then addressed Endress’ friends and family.

“I will spend the rest of my days carrying the weight of what I took away from you that day,” she said.