Mother of 13-year-old killed in Washington County crash says she doesn’t want jail time for driver

WEST PIKE RUN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 19-year-old has been charged in a deadly single-vehicle accident that killed a 13-year-old boy.

Ruben Miller was arraigned on Thursday, facing charges of homicide by vehicle, carless driving and more.

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According to police, Miller was behind the wheel on April 8, 2022, when he lost control of his vehicle on Sunset Drive in West Pike Run Township, rolling over several times.

He and his two passengers, both 13-year-old boys, were thrown from the vehicle.

One of those boys, Jayden Anderson, did not survive.

Channel 11 spoke with Anderson’s mother, Heather Laidella, over the phone on Thursday.

She described Miller as being like family, and said that her son adored him.

While she believes there needs to be accountability for what happened, she does not want to see Miller become a convicted felon and does not want him to serve jail time.

She said she “already lost one son” and doesn’t want to lose another.

Laidella added that for Miller, it’s punishment enough that he has to live with what happened.

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