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Charges modified against man accused in Thanksgiving Day crash that killed young family

Several charges were dropped Friday against a man who is accused of causing a Thanksgiving Day crash that killed a young family.

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Demetrius Coleman will face three charges of third-degree murder and homicide by vehicle. Three counts of criminal homicide were withdrawn.

Coleman is also charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle, accident involving death/injury not properly licensed, endangering another person, fleeing from police and numerous traffic violations.

He is being held without bail and is scheduled to be formally arraigned on May 11.

The victims, 28-year-old David Bianco and 21-year-old Kailey Meininger, along with their 2-year-old daughter, Annika, were on their way to spend Thanksgiving with their family when they were involved in the crash at the intersection of routes 30 and 40 in North Versailles.

Police from East McKeesport and North Versailles were chasing Coleman aftern a traffic stop. An East McKeesport officer had stopped Coleman for making an illegal turn, checked his background, learned he was wanted for violating his probation in a drug case and then called for North Versailles officers to back him up, authorities said.

Shortly after the backup officers arrived, Coleman sped away from the convenience store parking lot where he'd been stopped and onto Route 30 in North Versailles, police said.

Prosecutors called six witnesses on Friday, including an accident reconstructionist with the Pennsylvania State Police. He testified that Coleman was driving at least 82 to 84 mph when he struck Bianco's vehicle.

Surveillance video from a nearby business shows Coleman's white car speeding down Route 30 with officers not far behind.

The victims' family attorney believes the police should not have chased Coleman. Attorney Bart Beier filed a preliminary objection and is waiting for a ruling.

"Essentially, whether or not the police should be held liable, whether there's immunity, whether that follows through to the officers or not," Beier said.  "Apparently they made the decision on the fly. It appears to me that they should have had training on that, but we'll find that out, I suppose."

Beier also has questions about why none of the officers' dashcams were operating that day to capture what happened.

"I was surprised there was no footage from any of the vehicles," he said.

Six police officers testified in court on Friday. They recounted for the court their exact movements, as well as the suspect's, on the day in question. None of the police cruisers have video to back up their testimony, however, which Beier said he finds odd.

Catherine Bianco, David's mother, had to leave the courtroom as evidence was presented.

"I suppose when time goes by, it helps a little, but really I don't think it's something they'll ever get over," Beier said.

After the hearing, Bianco said, "I'm glad he (Coleman) wasn't let out for no bail or anything."

Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage.

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