Teen Charged in Elderly Woman’s Death

Location of accident (Tom Sofield)

The 17-year-old driver, who lost control of his VW and struck an elderly woman and then a business in Upper Moreland on October 12, was charged as a juvenile today with homicide by vehicle and other related offenses.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said that the 17-year-old was drifting with his car when he lost control and struck the woman, active 81-year-old Zita Egitto.

Drifting is when a driver pulls the emergency break and turns quickly which causes the car for a moment travel sideways the driver than exits the maneuver at a high rate of seeped. Drifting became more popular after it was shown to North American audiences in The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, drifting is a popular motor sport in Southern California.

The October 12 crash happened as the teen was driving to Upper Moreland High School after attending classes at a nearby tech school when the lost control of his car trying to drift from York Road onto Reed Street.

Zita Egitto

Egitto just happened to be turning the corner of Reed Street when the teen’s out of control car jumped the curb, propeling the woman onto the porch, then knocking down a sign and the car came to rest against the porch of the Center for Employment Management.

Today officials announced car the teen was driving, a VW, was going almost 80 m.p.h. when the driver lost control and struck the woman.

Police told media the boy was taken into custody without incident Wednesday morning and is being held in Montgomery County.

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Tom Sofield (tsofield@buxmontnews.com)
Online Editor