An Erie, Pennsylvania, commercial truck driver is facing 22 criminal charges following a July 23 multi-vehicle collision that involved nine vehicles and left multiple people injured.

According to a court-filed affidavit, police identified Irabaruta Ezechiel as the driver of a 2022 Freightliner semi-truck involved in the crash, which occurred at the intersection of West 12th and Myrtle streets in Erie. Judge Alison M. Scarpitti denied bail following Ezechiel's arrest on July 24.

The affidavit states that the Freightliner was traveling east through the 300 block of West 12th Street, where five motorcycles and four station wagons were stopped at a steady red light. The document identifies one operator on each motorcycle and nine occupants inside the station wagons. Police allege that the semi-truck struck the station wagons first, then collided with the motorcycles.

Driver Fled Carrying Beer, Witnesses Say

According to the affidavit, Ezechiel stumbled from the truck cab after the collision and fled on foot while carrying a case of Bud Light bottles. The responding officer noted that one open Bud Light bottle remained in the vehicle's center cup holder. Witnesses pursued and detained Ezechiel behind a nearby U-Haul facility before officers arrived at the scene, the filing states.

Officers transported Ezechiel to Saint Vincent Hospital following his arrest. The investigating officer reported detecting a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" on Ezechiel, along with bloodshot and watery eyes. A charge nurse later informed the officer that Ezechiel required emergency-room care because he was unconscious. The officer subsequently obtained a nighttime search warrant and collected two vials of blood.

The blood kit was sent to the Pennsylvania State Police for blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) testing. Lab results were still pending at the time the complaint was filed, and the affidavit does not include a blood-alcohol reading. Under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations, commercial drivers are prohibited from operating a commercial vehicle with a BAC of 0.04% or higher—half the 0.08% threshold that applies to non-commercial drivers in most states. Any detectable alcohol presence while on duty also triggers federal compliance violations for CDL holders.

Crash Victims Treated at UPMC Hamot Hospital

An investigator later visited UPMC Hamot Hospital, where the affidavit reports that eight of 10 crash victims sought treatment. The filing documents two suspected serious injuries and six suspected minor injuries. X-rays and CT scans were still pending when the officer completed the affidavit.

The affidavit initially identifies five motorcycle operators and nine station-wagon occupants but does not account for why the hospital section references 10 victims. The document does not name any injured individuals, provide current medical conditions, or report any fatalities.

Public Docket Lists 22 Charges

The public docket outlines two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, along with two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle. In Pennsylvania, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI is a second-degree felony, carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment per count upon conviction. Three separate DUI charges address commercial-vehicle alcohol use, high-rate alcohol, and general impairment. These charges remain accusations, and no court has entered a verdict.

The docket also includes nine misdemeanor counts of property damage involving attended vehicles or property. Additional charges encompass reckless endangerment, open-container violations, reckless driving, and unsafe speed. FreightWaves reports the current total based on the docket's 22-charge count.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7 in Erie County Central Court. Louis Callahan of the Erie County Public Defender's Office is representing Ezechiel and declined to comment.

Source: FreightWaves