New details are emerging in the case of a Crafton police officer accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian near Station Square and then fleeing the scene.
Donnie Breeden, 38, is charged with the July 2007 death of David Hall on West Carson Street, in Pittsburgh.
Hall, 24, was struck in the 1500 block of West Carson Street after stopping to talk to a bus driver, according to Pittsburgh police.
"Clearly, when there's allegations that a police officer is involved, he's violated the crimes code, that's cause for sadness in the law enforcement community. It's a tragic situation," said assistant district attorney Mark Tranquilli.
"He's very upset, obviously, extremely upset. His world is turned upside down. But I'll think he'll get through it," said Breeden's attorney, William Difenderfer."
According to the criminal complaint, a witness told police that on the night of the hit-and-run, Breeden was with a group of friends at a restaurant when they decided to go to the South Side.
The witness told police that Breeden drove separately from the rest of the group.
Investigators said the witness told them that one of the people in the group got a call from Breeden saying he had hit a person with his vehicle on West Carson Street.
The witness went on to say that when the rest of the group arrived at the accident scene, they saw a Port Authority bus and several other vehicles, including Breeden's, stopped in the road near the victim.
In the criminal complaint, the witness told police that Breeden told his friends that he couldn't stay at the accident scene because "I'm a cop. I can't go to jail. If I go to jail, I will kill myself. I'm getting out of here. No one knows I did this, so I am getting out of here." The witness said Breeden left the scene.
A few days after the incident, the witness told police he went to Breeden's house to fix the damage to the SUV involved in the crash. The witness also said Breeden is still driving the same vehicle.
Breeden had been with the Crafton police force since 1994. He was released from the Allegheny County Jail on bail and faces two charges of involuntary manslaughter and accidents involving death.
At a hearing on Friday, Breeden's case was waived to trial. His next court date is Aug. 17.
Slideshow - Photos From The Case
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Previous Post: http://whathappenedtoprotectandserve.blogspot.com/2009/07/officer-donnie-breeden-arrested-for-hit.html
Other Information:
July 9, 2009: Paid Suspension For Cop Charged In Hit-And-Run Death
July 5, 2009: Crafton Police Officer Charged In Fatal Hit-And-Run
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