Driver Charged in Deadly Easton Crash

Francis Roscioli was driving under the influence when he struck and killed a pedestrian on a dark Easton road Sunday morning, according to city police.

Roscioli, 21, of Wilson was charged Thursday with homicide by vehicle in the death of Abraham Rivera, who died early Sunday in the accident on Lehigh Drive.

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. Sunday. 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, of West Easton, who was walking along the southern 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 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.

He was arraigned before senior District Judge Elizabeth Romig-Gainer in downtown Easton Thursday and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail.

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.