Pa. Police Officer Killed in Crash During Pursuit

May 3, 2013
Shenango Township Officer William "Jerry" McCarthy died after a suspect slammed into his cruiser.

The driver who crashed into a police cruiser killing one officer and injuring another late Thursday told police, "I did something stupid," court records show.

State police charged Kylee Barletto, 25, of New Castle with manslaughter of a law enforcement officer, homicide by vehicle, fleeing an officer, reckless endangerment and other crimes.

During an interview at St. Elizabeth Health Center early Friday, Barletto told police she did something stupid and didn't stop when New Castle police tried to pull her over because her license was suspended, according to a criminal complaint filed against her. Later in the interview, she said something was wrong with her vehicle and she couldn't stop.

New Castle police spotted Barletto driving erratically on Jefferson Street and tried to stop her when she turned on Division Street at about 9:50 p.m., the complaint said. Barletto's license was suspended due to a conviction for driving under the influence conviction.

Barletto refused to stop, and Shenango Township officers William J. "Jerry" McCarthy IV and Michael Lynch, responded to help police, state police Lt. Eric Hermick said. The Shenango officers were driving parallel to the chase in an attempt to contain it when Barletto ran a stop sign and T-boned the police cruiser on the passenger side, Hermick said.

McCarthy, 60, died as medics tried to help him, he said. Lynch was taken to Jameson Hospital and was treated for fractures and lacerations and released, Hermick said.

Barletto was taken to St. Elizabeth Trauma Center in Youngstown, Ohio with injuries to her face, Hermick said. She was held overnight under guard for observation, and is expected to be released Friday, he said.

Court records show Lynch had cited her for driving with a suspended license on April 12, and that she had been cited for various traffic offenses on seven occasions since May 2011.

Copyright 2013 - The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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