A Gettysburg man "passed out" at the wheel while under the influence of drugs and alcohol before his vehicle struck and killed a Brownstown mother last month, police said.
Christopher A. Rosati, 24, of 426 W. Middle St., is charged with homicide by vehicle, police say in court records filed Tuesday.
Rosati's vehicle swerved onto a Gettysburg sidewalk at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 13, striking and killing Patricia Pelliccione, 48, of 128 Chapel Lane. Three parked vehicles also were struck, police said.
Rosati told police that he was driving south on Baltimore Street when he felt lightheaded and passed out. He awoke to screams at the accident scene, according to police.
Rosati told police that over the course of the day he had consumed three beers, had taken various medications — Lexapro, Lorazepam and Vicodin — and had smoked marijuana, police said.
A hospital blood test of Rosati came back positive for marijuana, opiates and benzodiazephines, police said.
Pelliccione was taken to Gettysburg Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Pelliccione had three children, all teenagers. She and her husband, David, would have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary Tuesday.
Mr. Pelliccione declined to speak about the charges against Rosati on Friday, saying he did not want more press coverage of the accident. "I am concerned with my kids reliving it all over again," he said.
Rosati is charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence of marijuana, homicide by vehicle, two counts of driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, reckless driving and failing to obey traffic control signals, police said.
Rosati and his passenger, Jeremy Winston, 24, of Gettysburg, were taken to Gettysburg Hospital after the accident and were treated and released, police said.