Man who caused fatal 2018 Salem wreck is paroled

A West Virginia man was paroled Monday after pleading guilty to causing a crash on Route 22 in Salem that killed a man and injured his wife and young daughter nearly two years ago.

Brian Keith Clemons, 43, formerly of New Alexandria, pleaded guilty to charges of vehicular homicide, aggravated assault by vehicle, simple assault, reckless endangerment and driving while under the influence of drugs.

Police said Clemons’ Ford F-150 pickup slammed into a vehicle driven by Charles V. Hodgkins, 27, of Greensburg as it was stopped at a traffic signal at East Pittsburgh Street and Route 22 on Aug. 10, 2018.

According to court records, Clemons told police he did not see Hodgkins’ vehicle until it was too late to stop. Investigators said Clemons’ truck was traveling 67 mph in a 55 mph zone at the time of the crash.

Police said Clemons passed field sobriety and breath tests at the crash scene but toxicology reports later determined cocaine was in his system. Prosecutors said they could not determine if the drugs were responsible for the crash.

Hodgkins was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after the crash. His wife, Brittany Hodgkins, and 4-year-old daughter, Brianna, were injured, police said.

Brittany Hodgkins condemned the parole decision Monday.

“It’s good to know that I can go smash my car into someone with drugs in my system and kill them and only get 7 months,” she said Monday.

The family had just dropped off their dog at a veterinarian’s office and were heading to breakfast, Brittany Hodgkins testified at a preliminary hearing in December. She said she doesn’t remember many details.

“I just remember coming up to a red light, and I was in the passenger seat. The next thing I remember is someone holding my hand in the ambulance saying I was in a bad accident,” Hodgkins testified.

Hodgkins said she was initially treated at Forbes but transferred to Allegheny General Hospital for treatment of a severed artery in her neck and broken ribs. She was in the hospital for two weeks, she said.

Brianna suffered a broken leg and a facial fracture, her mother testified. The girl was admitted to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh for three days after the crash.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Scott Mears sentenced Clemons to serve nine to 23 months in jail but paroled him after giving credit for time he has served in jail since November.