Early parole rescinded for New Alexandria man who killed elderly driver in 2016 speeding crash

A New Alexandria man convicted of causing a fatal crash that killed an elderly woman three years ago will not receive an early parole.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani reversed his ruling issued last month that would have allowed Samuel R. Grace III to leave jail before the expiration of his 11^1/2-to-23-month jail sentence imposed in late 2018.

Grace, 22, pleaded guilty last year to vehicular homicide in connection with the October 2016 fatal crash that killed Harriet Malloy, 71, of Blairsville. Malloy’s infant granddaughter, a passenger in her car, was not injured in the crash.

Police said Grace was speeding, driving more than 70 mph on Route 982 near Laughlin Farm Road in Derry, when he lost control, veered into oncoming traffic and struck the car driven by Malloy. The speed limit on the road was 40 mph, prosecutors contended.

Feliciani in sentencing Grace to jail in December cited his driving record, which included several prior speeding citations.

Following a hearing last month, the judge agreed to release Grace on July 10 and serve 11 additional months of house arrest. That decision, though, was contingent on consent from Malloy’s children, who were not notified about Grace’s first request for early parole. Family members later notified the judge they objected and a new hearing was convened Monday.

“He was given a very light sentence that we ended up being comfortable with, by a degree,” said Malloy’s daughter Connie Jellison. “He was given a sentence and he needs to serve it. He killed my mother, and there are consequences to that action.”

Defense attorney Fran Murrman said Grace will now be eligible for parole in October.