Crash case goes to court; buggy driver still in critical condition

By Matt Snyder
Herald Staff Writer

PERRY TOWNSHIP May 16, 2008 10:49 pm

— The Pymatuning Township man police say crashed into an Amish buggy, critically injuring its driver and killing a horse, will face hit-and-run charges in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.
Timothy Frederick Alter, 29, of Lot 7, 90 Shenango Park Road, waived his preliminary hearing Friday and charges of hit and run resulting in death or injury, failure to stop and render aid, failure to notify police of an accident and accident involving damage to vehicles or property were held to court.
By waiving charges to court before District Judge Lorinda L. Hinch, Alter agreed there was enough evidence to justify the charges at face value.
His attorney, Randall Hetrick, said a police affidavit incorrectly states Alter’s driving privileges were suspended for drunken driving-related reasons. He said they were suspended before, but not for drunken driving. Assistant District Attorney D. Neil McEwen confirmed the report is in error.
According to Mercer County court records, Alter has pleaded guilty to driving under suspension six times since 2000. The latest offense was in February.
Alter is accused of driving a 1984 Chevrolet van about 12:45 a.m. May 5 on state Route 358 east of Hughey Road in Perry Township when he struck an Amish buggy from behind, police said.
Erven Byler, 22, of 5824 Pine Road, East Fallowfield Township, Crawford County, was thrown 50 feet and the crash killed the horse, police said.
Byler remained in critical condition Friday in St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, almost two weeks after the May 5 wreck, said a hospital spokeswoman. As of May 6, he was in a medically-induced coma, court documents said.
After police found Alter, he agreed to an interview and told them he was driving the van that struck Byler’s buggy and he did not stop, police said.
Police found Alter after the crash by taking pieces of the wreckage to Ben Bissett Chevrolet, East Lackawannock Township. The service manager determined the parts were from a 1980s model conversion van, court documents said.
Then police got a tip from a caller May 6 that a van was being stored in a garage on Perrine Road in Sandy Creek Township, court documents said. Police were permitted to search the garage by the woman who owns it, and they found a blue-gray van registered to Alter’s wife.
After being confronted, Alter told police he knew why they were there and then agreed to the interview, police said.
Alter, who had not posted bond, was returned to Mercer County Jail after the hearing.

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