PHOENIXVILLE — The driver of a car whose passenger was killed when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with an oncoming car and then a tree has been held for trial in Chester County Common Pleas Court on accusations that he was intoxicated when the crash occurred.
On Tuesday, Calixto Melendez of Reading, Berks County, was ordered to stand trial on charges of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person, and DUI after a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge James Kovaleski of Phoenixville.
Melendez, 28, has been in custody since June 26, after North Coventry Township Police filed their charges in the case. He is being held in Berks County on $150,000 cash bail. He had been held there on a violation of probation in an unrelated matter.
Killed in the crash in February was Melendez’s girlfriend, Ashley L. Tordonato of Reading. She was pronounced dead at the scene of injuries she suffered after Melendez’s car spun out of control and hit a tree after first colliding with another car.
According to the arrest affidavit by North Coventry Sgt. Andrew James Zinger, the fatal crash occurred around 1:10 p.m. on Feb. 21 in the 1100 block of South Hanover Street, just south of Pottstown.
According to Zinger, Melendez was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo northbound on South Hanover when he failed to follow a slight curve in the road and entered the opposite lane of traffic. There, he collided with a 2024 Jeep that was traveling south, glanced off that car, spun out of control, and struck a tree on the west side of the road. The driver of the other car, identified as Antonietta Locricchio, suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Reading Hospital.
An accident reconstruction completed in the case estimated that he was driving between 33 and 57 mph; the speed limit on that stretch of road is 40 mph.
When Zinger arrived at the scene, Officer Stephanie Vitali, who also had responded to the report of a crash, informed him that Tordonato, who was a front seat passenger in the Aveo, was deceased, and Officer Vic Machese told him that the driver of the Aveo had gotten out of the car and walked away from the scene. Zinger was able to track him down some distance away on Lenape Crossing Road.
When he caught up with him, Melendez had a cut across his face and was rambling.
“I’m trying to get some help,” he said repeatedly.
When asked what had happened, Melendez allegedly said, “They came over, they came over. I was in my lane. Is she okay?”
Zinger wrote that he could smell alcohol on Melendez’s breath, and asked him if he had had anything to drink.
“Not that she didn’t give me,” he said.
Melendez said he estimated that he had two drinks before driving.
Inside the Aveo, police found an open bottle of Christian Brothers Brandy on the front passenger seat.
A chemical test of Melendez’s blood determined that he had a blood alcohol content of .13%. The legal standard for drunk driving is .08%.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Justin Roberts. Melendez is represented by the Chester County Public Defender’s Office.
To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
Source: Berkshire mont
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