Roman York
Officer Joe Warren at a hearing on Thursday gave renderings after a study done for the trial of Roman L. York who is facing a vehicular homicide charge. The charge is from an incident on July 7, 2012 in which Myra Eaker, 74, was killed by a wrong-way driver traveling at a high rate of speed on Shallowford Road.
Officer Warren, who has extensive experience as a traffic reconstructionist, was called as an expert witness after he examined the head-on collision and produced several 3-D renderings of the fatal crash, which involved a head-on collision as well as a secondary, non-fatal collision with a third car.
He said that he examined tire marks, shattered glass, fluid trails, and gouge marks on Shallowford to accurately reconstruct the scene with support from laser-targeted surveying equipment which provides a higher degree of accuracy than the standard 2-D tape study. The result of his study shows the events of the crash from multiple angles.
Police said York was driving a 2008 Nissan Titan pickup truck westbound on Shallowford Road. He went into the turn lane and over into the eastbound lane, clipping a Lexus SUV driven by Delbert Bailey.
He then struck head-on a 1998 Buick Park Avenue driven by Ms. Eaker. The collision spun the Eaker vehicle around and knocked it into a 2005 Mercury Sable driven by Charlotte Hardaway. Ms. Hardaway and her daughter, Richarra Hardaway, were injured.
Police said York was also injured and was transported to Erlanger Hospital, where a forced blood draw was taken. It did not reveal any alcohol, but did show a level of Xanex just below the lethal amount, it was stated.
Police said such a dose of Xanex would cause drowsiness, confusion, impaired coordination and diminished reflexes.An officer attempted to interview York at the hospital, but determined he was incoherent so the questioning was stopped.
The jury trial for York has been set for July 21 in the courtroom of Judge Barry Steelman.
Ms. Eaker was a former McDonald's manager who left behind her husband of 59 years and four children.