Published: November 09, 2009 10:08 pm      

Driver charged in boy’s death

LIGONIER — A Westmoreland County man has been charged with vehicular homicide, capping a seven-month investigation into a three-vehicle crash that killed a North Star High School student.

Brandon G. Behie, 24, of New Florence, also was charged Friday with aggravated assault by vehicle, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, general impairment, driving under the influence of alcohol, simple assault, reckless endangerment and summary traffic violations.

Ligonier Township police said Behie was behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Silverado pickup that plowed into the back of a Chevrolet Lumina stopped at a red light on March 28.

The wreck killed 15-year-old John Austin Blough of Hollsopple.

Blough, who was a rear-seat passenger in the Lumina, died at the scene of blunt force trauma to the head and chest.

According to a court document, Behie told an officer at the scene, “I’m going to jail. I’m going to jail.” Police said Behie told them he “had been drinking” and “wrecked into them.”

A test showed Behie had a blood-alcohol content of 0.189 percent, police said. That is above the state legal limit of 0.08 percent.

The Lumina carrying several students was behind a Pontiac Grand Prix that stopped at a red light on state Route 30 in Laughlintown shortly after 1:30 a.m.

Behie’s pickup slammed into the Lumina, pushing it into the Grand Prix driven by Rebecca Weimer of Boswell.

She was not injured.

Authorities said Behie was traveling at least 32 mph in a 20 mph zone.

Behie was arraigned Friday by District Judge Denise Thiel of Ligonier and released on $50,000 unsecured bond.

Blough was a wrestler, football player and an honor-roll student at North Star.