A 37-year-old man has been charged in a violent multi-vehicle crash that killed a woman in Homestead last year, with authorities stating he was under the influence of cocaine and driving at a dangerously high speed when the incident occurred. As CBS News Pittsburgh reported, according to police, Jesus Luciano was racing down Eighth Avenue in an SUV at speeds topping 100 mph, a stark contrast to the posted 25 mph limit, when he veered across the double yellow lines and collided with a Nissan Altima driven by 47-year-old Lynn Reynolds, resulting in her death days later.
All five vehicles involved in the crash held a total of 10 people, nine of whom, including a child age 6, required hospitalization after the catastrophic event, the severity of the crash evidenced by the fact that Reynolds succumbed to her injuries not long after, detectives learned of Luciano's suspended license due to a prior DUI. When questioned by authorities at the scene, Luciano's reply about the presence of others in his car was, "No, just my crack pipe," CBS News Pittsburgh article specified, with subsequent tests confirming the presence of cocaine in his system.
Further investigation revealed that Luciano's vehicle, which he had taken without the owner's permission, matched the one involved in a hit-and-run earlier the same morning in Munhall, striking a minivan and fleeing the scene. Data from the SUV's event recorder showed the vehicle reaching velocities up to 104 mph just seconds before the deadly collision, underscoring the reckless abandon with which Luciano operated the SUV that tragic day.
Charges against Luciano now include homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence of a controlled substance, and several counts of recklessly endangering another person. he also faces counts related to accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed. He has been denied bail and is currently at the Allegheny County Jail, with a preliminary hearing set for March 12 in Pittsburgh Municipal Court.
