CLEONA, Pa. — State Police have charged a 33-year-old Schuylkill County man with homicide by vehicle while DUI and numerous other offenses related to the death of a pregnant Lebanon County woman in April 2023, according to a criminal complaint.
Christian Hennessey, of Pine Grove, was driving under the influences of controlled substances when he caused a crash that claimed the life of Jamie Virginia Stump and injured two occupants of another vehicle on Route 72 in Lebanon County on April 25, 2023, State Police claim.
In addition to homicide by vehicle while DUI, Hennessey is charged with aggravated assault of an unborn child, homicide by vehicle, two counts of simple assault, three counts of recklessly endangering another person, driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, reckless driving, careless driving, and disregarding traffic lanes, according to the complaint.
The charges were filed one year after the crash, which occurred at 1:50 p.m. on April 25, 2023 on Route 72 at the intersection of Moonshine Road and Suedburg Road. State Police troopers dispatched to the crash discovered Hennessey's vehicle, a 1986 Chevrolet C10 pickup truck, overturned on the driver's side.
Hennessey and Stump were extracted from his vehicle. He was transported to Hershey Medical Center by helicopter for treatment of serious injuries sustained in the crash, according to police.
Stump was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined she died of multiple blunt force trauma, and that she was in the first trimester of her pregnancy, according to police.
The other vehicle involved, a 2017 Ford F350, was occupied by a woman and two young children. The driver sustained a hand injury, while one of her passengers, a 21-month-old boy, sustained a neck injury from the 5-point harness on his child seat, according to police.
The other driver told State Police she was traveling south on Route 72 when she approached a curve. When she made the turn, she found Hennessey's vehicle partially in her lane and was unable to avoid a collision, police said in the complaint.
An initial investigation of the crash determined Hennessey's vehicle caused the crash when it was unable to negotiate the curve, according to the complaint. His vehicle crossed the double yellow line into the opposing lane, where it struck the other vehicle. Weather, speed, and mechanical failure were not issues in the crash, the investigation determined.
Blood tests determined Hennessey had traces of amphetamine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and the sedative medazolam in his bloodstream after the crash.
