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NORRISTOWN — A jury convicted a Whitemarsh Township woman of leaving the scene after she struck and killed a man who was crossing a township roadway and now she awaits her fate from a judge.
Jennifer Ann Parker, 45, of the 1700 block of Butler Pike, was convicted in Montgomery County Court on Jan. 31 of charges of accidents involving death or personal injury, or hit-and-run, and driving under the influence of marijuana in connection with the 8:57 p.m. Feb. 17, 2023, pedestrian crash that killed Anthony Jonello.
The jury deliberated less than two hours before reaching the verdict after hearing testimony at a three-day trial.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman, who presided over the trial, deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Parker.
Given the conviction, Assistant District Attorney Gabriella Glenning argued that Parker’s $100,000 unsecured bail should be revoked.
Defense lawyer Alexander Lassoff opposed a bail revocation, arguing Parker “is not a flight risk. She’s not a risk to the community.” Lassoff argued Parker has children that need her care.
Ferman modified the bail, changed it from unsecured to $100,000 cash and sheriff’s deputies immediately took Parker into custody and she was taken to the county jail.
However, according to court records, Parker posted the bail on Feb. 1 through a bail bondsman and now will remain free pending sentencing later this year.
Parker did not comment to a reporter about the verdict as she was escorted from the courtroom.
Glenning vowed to seek a significant prison sentence against Parker, including a three-year mandatory term allowable under state law for a hit-and-run that involves a death.
“At the moment she hit him, she realized she hit a person and still left,” Glenning alleged. “That is something you can’t do. Every driver has a duty that if you are in an accident you have to stay there, give information, and if someone is injured you have to call for help. That’s what this defendant didn’t do that night.”
Parker did not testify during the trial.
Relatives of the victim were present for the trial.
“This is a loss that is immeasurable for the family. He is survived by family that loved him very much. Since this happened, their year has been one of giant heartbreak,” said Glenning, adding the guilty verdict against Parker brought Jonello’s family some justice.
Parker also was supported in court by several relatives during the trial.
The case did not involve allegations that Parker was impaired by marijuana at the time of the crash, only that she was driving with any amount of a controlled substance in her system, which is against the law.
The investigation began about 8:57 p.m. Feb. 17 when Whitemarsh police responded to the scene of a hit-and-run pedestrian crash in front of a residence in the 1800 block of Butler Pike. Arriving officers found an unresponsive male, later identified as Jonello, lying in the northbound lane of Butler Pike, a two-lane divided roadway, according to the criminal complaint filed by Whitemarsh Police Officer John Hartman.
“Jonello was found in the middle of the northbound lane and was observed to have significant head trauma, along with other injuries,” Hartman alleged. “Jonello was dressed in dark pants and a dark hooded sweatshirt along with a reflective yellow vest. Police were informed that the striking vehicle fled the scene of the crash.”
Jonello was transported to a local hospital where he eventually succumbed due to his injuries, Hartman said.
An autopsy determined Jonello suffered a broken neck, a skull fracture, a broken pelvis, a lower right leg fracture and multiple abrasions, injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle on the right side of his body, according to court papers.
At about 9:09 p.m. police observed a black Honda Pilot vehicle with heavy front-end damage, operated by Parker, traveling in the area of the crash and stopped the vehicle as it was attempting to exit the Sherry Lake Apartment complex onto Butler Pike.
“The Honda Pilot had front bumper, grill and hood damage consistent with striking a pedestrian,” Hartman alleged. “Also found on the vehicle was a yellow neon fabric lodged in the damaged portion of the front hood, along with fabric residue that appeared to match the color of Jonello’s reflective vest.”
When questioned by police, Parker claimed the damage occurred five minutes prior on Butler Pike while she was behind a junk collection truck. Parker told police she believed the damage occurred when something fell off the truck and struck her vehicle.
Investigators reportedly found no evidence of junk on the roadway.
Parker claimed despite seeing damage to her hood she continued on her journey to pick up her daughter from work at the Plymouth Square Shopping Center, according to the criminal complaint.
On her return home, Parker was stopped by police who noticed the damage to her vehicle.
A subsequent blood test found metabolites of marijuana in Parker’s bloodstream, according to court documents.
The investigation found no pre-impact braking by Parker’s vehicle at the scene and evidence of Jonello’s shoe dragging along the roadway during the impact, police said.
Police said they found a flashlight, similar to one found at the crash site, at the bottom of the windshield, near the windshield wipers, of Parker’s vehicle. Relatives of Jonello told police Jonello was known to carry flashlights with him.
The investigation determined that Jonello left an area store in the 1700 block of Butler Pike at 8:51 p.m., walked north on Butler Pike and crossed Butler Pike in the area of Kirk Street, from the west side toward the east side. Jonello cleared the southbound lane and the center two-way left turn lane when he was struck in the northbound lane by Parker’s Honda, authorities alleged.
“Jonello briefly went onto the hood before being thrown into the air over the vehicle and landing onto the pavement. Parker continued north from the scene without stopping, providing aid or contacting police,” Hartman alleged.
Investigators obtained video surveillance footage from several sources during the investigation. One video depicted Parker at the Plymouth Square Shopping Center after the crash, exiting her vehicle to use her phone to take a photograph of the damage to her vehicle before returning to the vehicle, according to the arrest affidavit.
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