Deadly Easton DUI Crash Headed to Trial

The case against a Wilson man accused of killing a West Easton pedestrian in a drunken driving accident is headed to Northampton County Court.

Francis Roscioli, 21, waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday in the death of Abraham Rivera, who was killed while walking along Lehigh Drive early on the morning of Aug. 18.

Roscioli is charged with homicide by vehicle, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, involuntary manslaughter, DUI, reckless endangerment, and a number of traffic offenses.

A few of Rivera's family members sat in the courtroom and wept as Roscioli was led away. They declined to speak to reporters.

According to court papers, witness Ciara Ibarra told police Roscioli's Jeep passed her while they were traveling west on the two-lane roadway just after 2 a.m. Aug. 18. She told police she heard a loud noise that sounded like one of his tires blowing out and saw his Jeep swerve.

Police say Roscioli illegally passed Ibarra and then hit Rivera, 35, who was walking along the south side of the road.

Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene, with Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek ruling Rivera's cause of death blunt force trauma and deeming the manner of death accidental.

Police say Roscioli's blood-alcohol level following the crash was .09 percent. Under state law, anything over .08 percent counts as driving while under the influence.

Roscioli had already been jailed on an earlier parole violation. He was on parole after serving jail time for a 2012 assault conviction. He had been cited for DUI in Easton earlier this year.